What is a mallow?

   Mallow is the name of a garden flower, a genus of plants and a plant family. Leaves are usually lobed and alternate. Flower parts are in fives. They are white or pink to red. The fruit is often a capsule. Roots contain much mucilage. There are annuals, biennials and perennials. Some species bearing the name are musk mallow, rose mallow and the common mallow, which is a weed. Cotton is a mallow.