Malacothamnus arcuatus var. arcuatus

Western bewildering bushmallow, arcuate bushmallow

Family: Malvaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Western bewildering bushmallow is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native shrub found in early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation and edges of openings at elevations of 5 to 1,150 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pink to white flowers in interrupted spikes with distinctive stellate hairs. Growing up to 2 meters tall with occasional rhizomatous spread, the shrub features branches with fine, mostly unstalked stellate hairs less than 1.3 millimeters long. Its leaves are predominantly round to widely ovate with wedge-shaped or heart-shaped bases, covered in dense stellate hairs that are more abundant on the leaf undersides. The shrub's delicate flower clusters are subtended by narrow triangular bracts, creating an intricate and textured appearance in recovering wildland environments.

Habitat: Early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation, edges of openings, some plants occasionally persisting into more mature vegetation stages

Bloom period: (Apr)May(Jul)

Elevation: 5-1150 m

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.