Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri

Eastern bewildering bushmallow, hall's bushmallow

Malacothamnus arcuatus — parent species of Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri

Photo: parent species Malacothamnus arcuatus · no rights reserved · CC0

Family: Malvaceae · Type: Shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri (Eastern bewildering bushmallow) is a native California shrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by . Key features: small flowers with short calyx, short broad bractlets that are ovate/awl-shaped.

Eastern bewildering bushmallow is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native shrub found in Northern Coast Ranges, Inner North Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, central Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, and San Francisco Bay Area in early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation and edges of openings at elevations of 0 to 760 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces delicate pink to white flowers with stalked stellate hairs. Growing up to 3 meters tall with an occasionally spreading habit, it develops branching stems covered in soft, fine hairs. Its leaves are rounded to widely ovate, with bases ranging from obtuse to slightly heart-shaped, featuring dense stellate hairs that are more prominent on the leaf undersides. In disturbed areas, this bushmallow can persist and spread through rhizomes, making it a resilient pioneer species in recovering landscapes.

Identification and appearance

Key characters: 7 sympatric species. Key features: small flowers with short calyx, short broad bractlets that are ovate/awl-shaped

Habitat and range

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

Elevation: 0-760 m

California counties: Contra Costa, Merced, Santa Clara, Lake, Mendocino, San Mateo, Mono

Bloom period

Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri blooms (Mar)Apr-May(Jun).

Conservation status

CNPS 1B.2

How to tell it apart

vs Sphaeralcea: Malacothamnus has flowers clustered in leaf axils; Sphaeralcea has flowers in an elongated spike-like arrangement.; vs Sidalcea: Malacothamnus is a woody shrub in chaparral; Sidalcea is herbaceous in meadows and moist areas.; vs Malva: Malacothamnus is a native chaparral shrub with axillary clusters; Malva is a weedy herb with flowers along stems.; vs Ribes: Malacothamnus has mallow flowers with fused stamens; Ribes has tubular flowers and produces berries.; vs Brickellia: Malacothamnus has 5-petaled mallow flowers; Brickellia has fuzzy composite flower heads without petals.

Frequently asked questions

Is Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri native to California?

Yes. Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri is native to California (recorded as native).

When does Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri bloom?

Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri blooms (Mar)Apr-May(Jun).

Where in California does Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri grow?

Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri occurs in Contra Costa, Merced, Santa Clara, Lake, Mendocino, San Mateo, Mono, at elevations of 0-760 m.

What plant family does Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri belong to?

Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri is in the Malvaceae family, genus Malacothamnus.

Is Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri rare or endangered?

Malacothamnus arcuatus var. elmeri carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.

Related species

Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.

All Malacothamnus species · All Malvaceae

Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB

Last updated 2026-09-25

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