Malacothamnus jonesii
Encyclopedia
Malacothamnus jonesii is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family
known by the common name Jones' bushmallow.
with a slender branching stem reaching two meters or more in height. It is coated densely in velvety white hairs, appearing felt
like. The thin, gray-green leaves are several centimeters long. The inflorescence
is a loose cluster of a few pale pink flowers with narrow petals each under a centimeter long.
, where it grows in the chaparral
and woodland of the California Coast Ranges in Monterey
and San Luis Obispo Counties
.
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
known by the common name Jones' bushmallow.
Description
Malacothamnus jonesii is an erect shrubShrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
with a slender branching stem reaching two meters or more in height. It is coated densely in velvety white hairs, appearing felt
Felt
Felt is a non-woven cloth that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing woollen fibres. While some types of felt are very soft, some are tough enough to form construction materials. Felt can be of any colour, and made into any shape or size....
like. The thin, gray-green leaves are several centimeters long. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a loose cluster of a few pale pink flowers with narrow petals each under a centimeter long.
Distribution
Malacothamnus jonesii is endemic to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in the chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
and woodland of the California Coast Ranges in Monterey
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
and San Luis Obispo Counties
San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 at the 2000 census...
.