Sphaeralcea coccinea

{{Short description|Plant species in the mallow family}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Scarlet globemallow

| image = Globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) (9471470335).jpg

| status = {{TNCStatus}}

| status_system = TNC

| status_ref = {{Cite NatureServe |date=28 February 2025 |id=2.149113 |title=Sphaeralcea coccinea |access-date=12 March 2025}}

| genus = Sphaeralcea

| species = coccinea

| authority = (Nutt.) Rydb.

| subdivision_ranks = Varieties

| subdivision_ref = {{cite POWO |id=241641-2 |title=Sphaeralcea coccinea (Nutt.) Rydb. |access-date=12 March 2025}}

| subdivision = {{Species list

| S. coccinea var. coccinea |

| S. coccinea var. elata |

}}

| synonyms_ref =

| synonyms = {{Collapsible list | {{Species list

| Cristaria coccinea | (Nutt.) Pursh

| Malva coccinea | Nutt.

| Malvastrum coccineum | (Nutt.) A.Gray

| Malveopsis coccinea | (Nutt.) Kuntze

| Nototriche coccinea | (Nutt.) Nieuwl. & Lunell

| Sida coccinea | (Nutt.) DC.

}}

}}

}}

Sphaeralcea coccinea, commonly known as the scarlet globemallow,{{PLANTS|id=SPCO|taxon=Sphaeralcea coccinea|access-date=25 November 2015}} scarlet mallow, cowboy's delight, prairie mallow, red false mallow, or simply as globe mallow{{cite web |title=Sphaeralcea coccinea |url=http://navigate.botanicgardens.org/weboi/oecgi2.exe/INET_ECM_DispPl?NAMENUM=10207 |website=Gardens Navigator |publisher=Denver Botanic Gardens |access-date=5 May 2023}} is a perennial plant growing 10–30 cm tall from spreading rhizomes with a low habit. They have grayish stems with dense, star-shaped hairs and alternately arranged leaves. The leaf blades are 2–5 cm long, palmately shaped, and deeply cut, with 3–5 main wedge-shaped segments. The undersides of the leaves have gray hairs. The 1–2.5 cm wide flowers are reddish-orange and saucer-shaped, with 5 notched, broad petals, in small terminal clusters. It produces numerous stamen which surround the pistils as a tube.{{cite book |last1=Royer |first1=France |last2=Dickinson |first2=Richard |title=Plants of Alberta: Trees, Shrubs, Wildflowers, Ferns, Aquatic Plants & Grasses |date=2007 |publisher=Lone Pine Media BC |location=Vancouver, British Columbia |isbn=978-1-77451-060-5}} Plants flower from May to October in southern regions and May to July in northern regions.{{cite book |author1=Theodore F. Niehaus |author2=Charles L. Ripper |author3=Virginia Savage |name-list-style=amp |title=A Field Guide to Southwestern and Texas Wildflowers |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company |year=1984 |isbn=0-395-36640-2 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/fieldguidetosout00nieh }} The plant produces a dry "fruit" called a schizocarp, which after maturity, breaks into roughly 10 or more seed segments.

This species is native to dry grasslands, prairies, and badlands of the Great Plains and western regions of northern North America. It thrives along roadsides in drier conditions and sandy soils. The plant releases its seeds upon being disturbed, allowing it to further spread to new areas.{{cite web |title=Sphaeralcea coccinea |url=https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=1145 |website=Campus Arboretum |publisher=The University of Arizona |access-date=27 April 2024}}