About Erodium malacoides (L.) L'Hér.
Young Erodium malacoides produce several wrinkled green leaves that grow radially outward, lying flat against the ground. Mature stems reach 10 to 60 centimeters in height, and bear additional leaves on long, hairy petioles that have glandular hairs. The species produces small flowers arranged in umbels of 3 to 7 flowers each. Individual flowers are 10 to 16 millimeters in diameter, with fuzzy, soft sepals that end in spines, and five purplish petals 5 to 9 millimeters long that have rounded (not notched) tips. The fruit is green, with a glandular body around 5 millimeters long, and a long, pointed style 18 to 35 millimeters long. Erodium malacoides grows in dry, sunny habitats. Within its range, flowering occurs from January to June in the southern location of Malta, and from June to August further north in western France.
