This page is getting an overhaul with better descriptions. I should be finished by the end of 2-1-24.

Winecup Mallow, Purple Poppymallow, Purple Poppy Mallow Buffalo Rose, Finger Poppy, Purple Mallow, ETC.

Callirhoe involucrata 

(Callirhoe involucrata var. involucrata)

kal-ir-OH-ee  in-vol-yoo-KRAY-tuh

Synonyms of Callirhoe involucrata (2) (Updated on 12-20-23 from Plants of the World Online): Malva involucrata Torr. & A.Gray, Sesquicella involucrata (Torr. & A.Gray) Alef.
Synonyms of Callirhoe involucrata var. involucrata (autonym) (5) (Updated on 12-20-23 from POWO): Callirhoe involucrata f. incisa M.Hopkins, Callirhoe involucrata f. novomexicana (Baker f.) Waterf., Callirhoe involucrata var. novomexicana Baker f., Callirhoe verticillata Groenl., Nuttallia involucrata Nutt. ex Torr

Callirhoe involucrata (Torr. & A.Gray) A.Gray is the accepted scientific name for this species. It was named and described as such by Asa Gray in Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1849. It was previously named and described as Malva involucrata by John Torrey and Asa Gray in Flora of North America in 1838.

Accepted Infraspecific Names (3) (Updated on 12-20-23 from POWO): *Callirhoe involucrata var. involucrata (autonym), Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba (Torr. & A.Gray) A.Gray, Callirhoe involucrata var. tenuissima Baker f. *When an infraspecific taxon is named, an autonym (“type-specimen”) is automatically generated whose description is closest to the (original) species. All have their own list of synonyms… Plants found in Missouri are assigned to Callirhoe involucrata subsp. involucrata.

The genus, Callirhoe Nutt., was named and described by Thomas Nuttall in the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia in 1822.

As of 12-20-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 9 species in the Callirhoe genus. It is a member of the plant family Malvaceae with 246 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

The above distribution map for Callirhoe involucrata is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native and purple is where it has been introduced. The map on the USDA Plants Database for North America (above Mexico) includes a few more states. No map is perfect, but they do give a general idea.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS BELOW FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A BETTER POSITIVE ID.

I found a good-sized colony of Callirhoe involucrata growing along the road that runs along the south side of Farrington Park in Windsor on July 22, 2021. I had not seen them anywhere else before. I took more photos on June 12, 2022.

Callirhoe involucrata is a perennial wildflower that grows from a central taproot. They are found in prairies, pastures, along roadsides, railroads, open woods, and abandoned fields. They grow in a wide variety of soil types in full sun and can make great additions to a wildflower garden. Plants die after mid-summer.

Sprawling plants produce angular stems covered with white hairs.

The stems can be light green to reddish-purple.

Plants produce sprawling racemes with 4-10 flowers on long peduncles (flower stems) with long stiff hairs (hirsute).

The interesting leaves are somewhat hard to explain…The palmate leaves grow in an alternate pattern along the stems and are up to 4” long and wide. The leaves are palmately lobed and sometimes the lobes have lobes.

The leaves have long, hairy petioles with a pair of green stipules at the base. Hairs on the leaves and petioles are either simple or 4-rayed…

The five-petaled wine-red (magenta) to purplish-red flowers are normally whitish toward the base. The flowers are surrounded by a calyx with 5 lobes (sepals) that have 4-rayed stellate hairs and 3 bractlets.

Reproductive organs include a stamen column with numerous white stamens, deep rose-pink filaments, pale yellow anthers, a rose-pink style, and an ovary with 15-20 carpels. Plants flower from May through sometime in August in my neck of the woods in west-central Missouri.

I am kind of speechless when it comes to describing the fruit and seeds, mainly because I haven’t seen them in person. Several websites linked below have great descriptions and photos. To understand the descriptions fully, you have to see the fruit in person, which I will try to do in 2024… 

The summer of 2023 was very hot and dry and by midsummer, most of the wildflowers had fizzled out. Hopefully, 2024 will be much better and I can take more photos.

There are more photos beneath the links at the bottom of the page.

I live on the family farm in Windsor, Missouri where I enjoy gardening, collecting plants, and identifying wildflowers. The farm is in Pettis County but Henry County is across the street, and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away. I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be somewhat variable from location to location, so sometimes it gets a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and provide much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

There are several sources online for this species.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
DAVE’S GARDEN
MISSOURI PLANTS
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
PFAF (PLANTS FOR A FUTURE)
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE
MARYLAND BIODIVERSITY PROJECT
GARDENIA

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and can be hard to keep with. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂

MORE PHOTOS…