Definition

Noun: 1. A flowering plant: A common mallow (Malva neglecta) native to Europe and Asia, but now widespread. It is characterized by being either erect or growing along the ground (decumbent), with small, pale pink to purple flowers that grow in clusters from the leaf axils. It is also known as "common mallow" or "dwarf mallow."

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The cheeseflower is often considered a weed in gardens and lawns.
  • You can identify cheeseflower by its rounded leaves and small, five-petaled flowers.
  • Despite being a common weed, the leaves of the cheeseflower are edible.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical Context: The name "cheeseflower" comes from the shape of its seed pods, which are round and flat, resembling a wheel of cheese.
  • After flowering, the cheeseflower produces its distinctive cheese-wheel shaped fruits.

Variants and Related Words

• Common mallow (n): The most frequent common name for this plant.
• Malva neglecta (n): The scientific (Latin) name for the species.
• Mallow (n): The broader family of plants () to which cheeseflower belongs.

Synonyms

• Dwarf mallow
• Buttonweed

Related Phrases

• No common phrasal verbs or idioms are directly associated with this specific botanical term.

Noun

1. erect or decumbent Old World perennial with axillary clusters of rosy-purple flowers; introduced in United States