Sphaeralcea coccinea

Scarlet globemallow
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Sphaeralcea
Species:
S. coccinea
Binomial name
Sphaeralcea coccinea
Synonyms

Malvastrum coccineum (Nutt.) A. Gray

Sphaeralcea coccinea, commonly known as the scarlet globemallow,[1] scarlet mallow, cowboy's delight, prairie mallow, red false mallow, or simply as globe mallow[2] is a perennial plant growing 10–30 cm tall from spreading rhizomes with a low habit. They have grayish stems with dense, star-shaped hairs and alternately arranged leaves. The leaf blades are 2–5 cm long, palmately shaped, and deeply cut, with 3–5 main wedge-shaped segments. The undersides of the leaves have gray hairs. The 1–2.5 cm wide flowers are reddish-orange and saucer-shaped, with 5 notched, broad petals, in small terminal clusters. It produces numerous stamen which surround the pistils as a tube.[3] Plants flower from May to October in southern regions and May to July in northern regions.[4] The plant produces a dry "fruit" called a schizocarp, which after maturity, breaks into roughly 10 or more seed segments.[3]

This species is native to dry grasslands, prairies, and badlands of the Great Plains and western regions of northern North America. It thrives along roadsides in drier conditions and sandy soils. The plant releases its seeds upon being disturbed, allowing it to further spread to new areas.[5]

  1. ^ a b USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "​Sphaeralcea coccinea​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  2. ^ "Sphaeralcea coccinea". Gardens Navigator. Denver Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b Royer, France; Dickinson, Richard (2007). Plants of Alberta: Trees, Shrubs, Wildflowers, Ferns, Aquatic Plants & Grasses. Vancouver, British Columbia: Lone Pine Media BC. ISBN 978-1-77451-060-5.
  4. ^ Theodore F. Niehaus; Charles L. Ripper & Virginia Savage (1984). A Field Guide to Southwestern and Texas Wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0-395-36640-2.
  5. ^ "Sphaeralcea coccinea". Campus Arboretum. The University of Arizona. Retrieved 27 April 2024.