Mallow, Malva.
This plant is one of the earliest cited in recorded literature. Horace mentions it in reference to his own simple diet: “Me pascunt olivae, me cichorea, me malvae” (“As for me, olives, endives, and mallows provide sustenance”). Lord Monboddo describes his translation of an ancient epigram that demonstrates malva was planted upon the graves of the ancients, stemming from the belief that the dead could feed on such perfect plants. WT
