Cornish mallow facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cornish mallow
Scientific classification
Genus:	Malva
Species:	multiflora
Synonyms
List Althaea cretica (L.) Kuntze Althaea sylvestris (Brot.) Borbás Anthema cretica (L.) Medik. Anthema scabra Moench Anthema tenoreana C.Presl Lavatera cavanillesii Caball. Lavatera cretica L. Lavatera empedoclis Ucria Lavatera hederifolia (Vis.) Schloss. & Vuk. Lavatera mollis Ehrenb. ex Sweet Lavatera neapolitana Ten. Lavatera sicula Tineo Lavatera stenophylla (Willk.) Rouy Lavatera sylvestris Brot. Lavatera triloba Sebast. & Mauri Lavatera weinmanniana Trevir. ex DC. Malope multiflora Cav. Malva cretica (L.) Pau Malva hederifolia Vis. Malva linnaei M.F.Ray Malva liocarpa Phil. Malva mamillosa J.Lloyd ex Nyman Malva mauritiana Willk. Malva pseudolavatera Webb & Berthel. Malva willkommiana Scheele

Malva multiflora (previously known as Lavatera cretica) is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Cornish mallow and Cretan hollyhock. It is native to western Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean Basin, and it is naturalized in areas with a Mediterranean climate, such as parts of Australia, South Africa, and California. This is an annual or biennial herb growing a tough, somewhat hairy stem to a maximum height between 1 and 3 meters. The leaves are multilobed with flat or wavy edges, slightly hairy, and up to 10 centimeters long. The plant bears small pink or light purple flowers with petals just over a centimeter long. The fruit is disc-shaped with 7 to 10 segments.

Leaf laminas of Malva multiflora can track solar position throughout the day and turn to face the sunrise, behavior that anticipates the future, despite lacking a central nervous system.

See also

In Spanish: Lavatera cretica para niños