Kosteletzkya pentacarpos (Virginia Saltmarsh Mallow)

Native to the eastern and southern United States, Bermuda, Cuba, and parts of southern Europe and western Asia, this short-lived perennial herb grows in marshes, swamps, wet thickets, and coastal swales. Its solitary pink flowers have broad petals and a central column carrying yellow stamens, with the pink style extending beyond them. Alternate, triangular to diamond-shaped leaves may have toothed margins, and the stems and foliage are hairy. Flat, five-chambered capsules develop after flowering. The plant tolerates salty conditions and temporary flooding. It is used in wetland gardens and naturalistic restoration plantings and dies back during winter. Photographed in Florida.