Erodium malacoides (Mallow Leaved Storks Bill)

Native to the Mediterranean region and neighboring areas, this annual herb has ascending to upright hairy stems and broad, rounded to heart-shaped leaves. The leaves are shallowly lobed with scalloped or toothed edges, giving them a mallow-like appearance. Small clusters carry deep pink to mauve flowers with five petals slightly longer than the hairy sepals. The fruits develop long awns and break into separate seed-bearing units. The species grows in disturbed ground and waste places and has become naturalized in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia. Photographed in Peru.