Malacothamnus palmeri
Encyclopedia
Malacothamnus palmeri is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family
known by the common names Palmer's bushmallow and Santa Lucia bushmallow.
with a thick, branching stem reaching two meters or more in height. It is coated thinly to densely in woolly white or tan hairs. The lobed, oval leaves are no more than 8 centimeters long. The inflorescence
is a headlike or elongated cluster of pale pink flowers with oval petals each up to 1.5 centimeters long.
, where it grows in the chaparral
and woodland of the Central Coast and adjacent Coast Ranges of 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 names Palmer's bushmallow and Santa Lucia bushmallow.
Description
Malacothamnus palmeri 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 thick, branching stem reaching two meters or more in height. It is coated thinly to densely in woolly white or tan hairs. The lobed, oval leaves are no more than 8 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 headlike or elongated cluster of pale pink flowers with oval petals each up to 1.5 centimeters long.
Distribution
Malacothamnus palmeri 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 Central Coast and adjacent Coast Ranges of 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...
.