Sphaeralcea angustifolia – Copper Globemallow

Sphaeralcea angustifolia - Copper Globemallow, Narrowleaf Globemallow, Narrowleaf Desertmallow (flower)

Sphaeralcea angustifolia - Copper Globemallow, Narrowleaf Globemallow, Narrowleaf Desertmallow

Plant Name

Scientific Name: Sphaeralcea angustifolia

Synonyms: Phymosia cuspidata, Sphaeralcea cuspidata, S. emoryi ssp. nevadensis, S. emoryi var. nevadensis

Common Names: Copper Globemallow, Narrowleaf Globemallow, Narrowleaf Desertmallow

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial

Growth Habit: Subshrub, Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Desert, Upland. This wildflower grows in sunny, open areas in deserts, grasslands, and open woodlands.

Flower Color: Orange, Red, Pink to peach or lavender-pink

Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall. This plant blooms anytime there is sufficient rainfall during the warm months of the year.

Height: Up to 40 inches (1 m) tall

Description: The short-stemmed, 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide flowers emerge from the leaf axils and have 5 broad, cupped petals and yellow anthers. The flowers are followed by pumpkin-shaped schizocarps (fruit) with 9 to 17 mericarps (segments), each containing 2 seeds. The leaves are light grayish green, alternate, hairy, variably toothed, scalloped, or smooth-edged, sometimes angularly lobed near the base, linear-lanceolate in shape, and distinctively narrow (less than 1/3 wide as long). The stems are erect and covered in star-shaped hairs like the rest of the plant.

No other, similar Sphaeralcea species found here has such relatively narrow leaves.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Dilleniidae
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae – Mallow family
Genus: Sphaeralcea A. St.-Hil. – globemallow
Species: Sphaeralcea angustifolia (Cav.) G. Don – copper globemallow

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map