White Mallow
Eremalche exilis
Color: White or pale pinkish-purple
Common name: White Mallow
Latin name: Eremalche exilis
Family: MALVACEAE
Height: 4-6 inches
Description: Petals are 4–5.5 mm with green spots at the base of each petal. Plant lays flat on the ground or flat with tips curling up. Stems are finely hairy.
Leaf: Generally 1–2.5 cm wide, 3–5-lobed.
Range: San Joaquin Valley, Inner South Coast Ranges, White and Inyo Mountains, Desert.
Habitat: Desert scrub
Elevation: < 1500 m.
Flowering time: Mar–May
Notes: An annual herb that is native to California and is also found outside of California, but is confined to western North America. Photographed March 26, 2005 near Cadiz Dunes with a Canon EOS 10D, 100mm macro lens. The Eremalche exilis has few companions in the desert and the Greek genus name means "lonely mallow." Distribution outside California: to Oregon, Wyoming, New Mexico, n Mexico.
We have an online wildflower field guide that is designed to help you identify desert wildflowers by color, scientific name, region and common name. The pictures are sized to work on the iPod, iPhone, iPad and similar devices. With your iPod or phone you will easily be able to identify wildflowers while in the desert. Links for downloads are on the bottom of the Wildflower Field Guide page.
Photo tips: Most digital point-and-shoot cameras have a macro function - usually symbolized by the icon of a little flower. When you turn on that function, you allow your camera to get closer to the subject, looking into a flower for example. Or getting up close and personal with a bug. More on desert photography.
Mojave Desert Wildflowers - This book is the standard by which all other wildflower books are measured. The author, Jon Mark Stewart, has combined super photography with concise information. This book has an entire color page for each wildflower covered, with a discussion of the wildflower. 210 pages with 200 color photos. More...
What's Blooming Now - Check the Wildflower Reports
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