Prickly Malvastrum
Malvastrum coromandelianum
Malvaceae
Medicinal. The stems are used for making brooms.
An upright subshrup that can grow up to 1 m. It is reported to have a deep taproot. The stems are tough, wiry or slightly woody, and covered in star-shaped hairs, while leaves are oval to elliptical and the leaf margin is crenate to toothed. Flowers have five yellow or pale orange coloured petals (6-9 mm long) and occur singly or small groups in the leaf forks. Reproduction is via seed. Prickly malvastrum is a common weed of pastures, crops, roadsides, gardens, footpaths, parks, disturbed sites and waste areas. It is reported to be tolerant to herbicides.
In a study in Hawaii, Green vegetable bugs were found on Prickly malvastrum (Hawaii - Jones et al., 2001). It has also been associated with the Green-belly stink bug (Smaniotto). Cotton bunchy top (CBT) virus (source - crdc.com.au). Hollyhock leaf curl virus (Pakistan). Phenacoccus solenopsis (cotton mealybug), Coccidohystrix insolita (eggplant mealybug), Sida yellow vein virus. Aleurodicus dispersus (whitefly), Bemisia tabaci (tobacco whitefly), Okra mosaic virus, Pectinophora gossypiella (pink bollworm) and Thrips tabaci (onion thrips) - (source Cabi). Various bees species are known to gather nectar and pollen (Morato, Mahale).