Find and map as many cheeseweed plants as possible. An ambiguous leafy green plant, cheeseweed can be found all over metro Phoenix. Green and growing in January, this naturalized “weed” has both its uses and drawbacks.
Cheeseweed (Malva Parviflora) is a somewhat low-growing forb that can form large, overtaking clumps, which are sometimes the size of small shrubs. It was documented in metro Phoenix in the early 1900s. This voucher was created in 1940, in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa (Onk Akimel O’Odham and Xalychidom Piipaash) area. It is assumed to be introduced to North America from Europe in the early 1800s, possibly intended as an edible green.
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