Identifying Malvas without flowers or fruits
The foliage of Malva species can vary considerably within and across species depending on environmental conditions such as water, temperature, light, soil type, and season. Leaf structure can even vary on the same plant (e.g., the uppermost leaves might be different from the basal leaves.) In addition, Malva foliage is often misidentified as Hibiscus, Sidalcea, Alcea, or Geranium. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to identify Malva species from leaves alone, so it's best to leave foliage-only observations at the genus level.
Note: The pictures in this journal posting were taken from iNaturalist or Calflora photos of flowers and/or fruits of Malva species that have been verified as Research Grade. I cropped the photos to remove the flowers and fruits, leaving only the leaves and stems.
