Abutilon abutiloides – Shrubby Indian Mallow

Abutilon abutiloides - Shrubby Indian Mallow (flower and fruit with a white flower spider)

Abutilon abutiloides - Shrubby Indian Mallow (dry fruit)

Abutilon abutiloides - Shrubby Indian Mallow

Plant Name

Scientific Name: Abutilon abutiloides

Synonyms: Abutilon californicum Benth., A. lemmoni

Common Name: Shrubby Indian Mallow

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial

Growth Habit: Subshrub, Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Desert

Flower Color: Golden orange-yellow

Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall

Height: To 60 inches (1.5 m) tall

Description: The 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide flowers have a central column of stamens and 5 petals that are slightly longer than the sepals. The flowers open late in the afternoon. The leaves are heart-shaped with toothed edges. Both the plants and leaves are stellate pubescent (covered in short, velvety, radiating, star-shaped hairs). The similar A. berlandieri (A. californicum auct. non Benth.) is not found in Arizona.

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: Abutilon Mill. – Indian mallow
Species: Abutilon abutiloides (Jacq.) Garcke ex Hochr. – shrubby Indian mallow

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map