About Malva punctata (All.) Alef.
Malva punctata (All.) Alef. reaches an average height of 20 to 90 centimeters (7.9 to 35.4 inches). It has an erect stem covered with scattered hairs. Its leaves grow alternately, are petiolate with stipules, and most are trilobed with the central lobe larger than the other two. The lowest leaves are kidney-shaped and slightly lobed, while the upper leaves are pentagonal. Flowers grow from the axils of the leaves. The calyx is five-lobed and bell-shaped, with five triangular pink petals that have purple veins. The petals measure roughly 1.5 to 3 centimeters, and are three times as long as the calyx. This species flowers from May through June. A western Mediterranean native, Malva punctata is distributed from southern France and Italy, through Albania and Greece, to Palestine, Israel, Asia Minor and Turkey. It grows at altitudes between 0 and 600 meters (0 to 1,969 feet) above sea level. It prefers sunny, rocky soil, and can be found in fallow fields, hedgerows, stream banks, and along road margins.
