Eremalche parryi
Parry's mallow
(c) Zack Abbey, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Eremalche parryi (Parry's mallow) is a native California herb in the Malvaceae family, recognized by Deeply lobed-leaved annual mallow of interior valleys/Coast Ranges; petals to ~25 mm; not the round-leaved desert E. rotundifolia.
Parry's mallow is a California native annual found in desert regions, typically growing in open, sandy habitats at elevations of 100 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate white to pale purple flowers with petals 3 to 25 millimeters long. Growing with generally erect stems less than 50 centimeters tall and often featuring ascending basal branches, it is densely covered in stellate (star-shaped) hairs near the stem tips. Its leaves are broadly 2 to 5 centimeters wide, deeply divided into 3 to 5 lobes with each lobe having sharply toothed tips. The distinctive fruit consists of 9 to 22 wedge-shaped segments that form a cushion-like structure with rounded margins.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Deeply lobed-leaved annual mallow of interior valleys/Coast Ranges; petals to ~25 mm; not the round-leaved desert E. rotundifolia.
Habitat and range
California counties: Santa Barbara, Kern, Fresno, Ventura, San Joaquin, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, Stanislaus, Kings, Mariposa, Merced, Tulare, Santa Clara, Madera, San Mateo, Modoc, Calaveras, Napa
How to tell it apart
vs Alyogyne: Eremalche is a small prostrate annual; Alyogyne is a large upright shrub with much larger flowers.; vs Malva: Eremalche is native with sparse hairs in deserts; Malva is a weedy introduced plant in disturbed areas.; vs Sidalcea: Eremalche is prostrate with symmetric leaves; Sidalcea is upright with palmately lobed leaves.; vs Sphaeralcea: Eremalche is a small green annual; Sphaeralcea is a larger perennial with gray hairs and orange flowers.; vs Chylismia: Eremalche has mallow flowers with fused stamens; Chylismia has 4-petaled evening primrose flowers with 8 stamens.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eremalche parryi native to California?
Yes. Eremalche parryi is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eremalche parryi grow?
Eremalche parryi occurs in Santa Barbara, Kern, Fresno, Ventura, San Joaquin, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo and other counties.
What plant family does Eremalche parryi belong to?
Eremalche parryi is in the Malvaceae family, genus Eremalche.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.