Eremalche rotundifolia
Desert fivespot, Desert Fivespot
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Malvaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eremalche rotundifolia (Desert fivespot) is a native California subshrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by round leaves and purple-spotted flowers are highly diagnostic.
Desert fivespot is a California native annual found in desert areas of the Mojave Desert bioregion in dry desert scrub at elevations from 50 meters below sea level to 1,200 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces pink-purple flowers with a bright purple base, each petal 15 to 30 millimeters long. Growing with erect stems 8 to 60 centimeters tall, sometimes branching from the base and covered in bristly simple hairs. Its leaves are round and kidney-shaped, 1.5 to 6 centimeters wide, with crenate or coarsely toothed edges. The fruit develops into approximately 25 to 35 wafer-like segments with sharp margins and a net-veined outer wall.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; round leaves and purple-spotted flowers are highly diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry desert scrub
Elevation: -50-1200 m
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, Imperial, San Diego, Kern, San Mateo
Outside California: Nevada, Arizona, northwestern Mexico
Bloom period
Eremalche rotundifolia blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Alyogyne: Eremalche is a small prostrate annual; Alyogyne is a large upright shrub with much larger flowers.; vs Malva: Eremalche is native with sparse hairs in deserts; Malva is a weedy introduced plant in disturbed areas.; vs Sidalcea: Eremalche is prostrate with symmetric leaves; Sidalcea is upright with palmately lobed leaves.; vs Sphaeralcea: Eremalche is a small green annual; Sphaeralcea is a larger perennial with gray hairs and orange flowers.; vs Chylismia: Eremalche has mallow flowers with fused stamens; Chylismia has 4-petaled evening primrose flowers with 8 stamens.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eremalche rotundifolia native to California?
Yes. Eremalche rotundifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eremalche rotundifolia bloom?
Eremalche rotundifolia blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Eremalche rotundifolia grow?
Eremalche rotundifolia occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, Imperial, San Diego, Kern, San Mateo, at elevations of -50-1200 m.
What plant family does Eremalche rotundifolia belong to?
Eremalche rotundifolia is in the Malvaceae family, genus Eremalche.
What habitat does Eremalche rotundifolia grow in?
Eremalche rotundifolia grows in dry desert scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eremalche sp.
- Eremalche exilis — White mallow
- Eremalche parryi — Parry's mallow
- Eremalche parryi subsp. kernensis — Kern mallow
- Eremalche parryi subsp. parryi — Parry's mallow
- Fremontodendron californicum — California flannelbush
- Fremontodendron decumbens — Pine hill flannelbush
- Fremontodendron mexicanum — Mexican flannelbush
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.