Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis

Huasna bushmallow, slender bushmallow

Malacothamnus jonesii — parent species of Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis

Photo: parent species Malacothamnus jonesii · (c) paulexcoff, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence

Family: Malvaceae · Type: Shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis (Huasna bushmallow) is a native California shrub in the Malvaceae family, recognized by panicle-like inflorescence and red bractlets.

Huasna bushmallow is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation and edges of openings at elevations of 150 to 375 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pale pink to white flowers with petals up to approximately 2 centimeters long. Growing to 3 meters tall with stellate-hairy stems, the shrub has distinctive branches covered in fine star-shaped hairs less than 0.4 millimeters long. Its leaves are widely ovate to diamond-shaped, mostly unlobed or with subtle three-lobed edges, featuring dense stellate hairs with greater density on the leaf undersides. The plant's delicate reddish bractlets and red-tinged glandular hairs on flower buds add to its distinctive appearance.

Identification and appearance

Key characters: 16 sympatric species; distinguished by panicle-like inflorescence and red bractlets

Habitat and range

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

Elevation: 150-375 m

Bloom period

Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis blooms May-Jul(Jan).

Conservation status

CNPS 1B.1

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 jonesii var. gracilis native to California?

Yes. Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis is native to California (recorded as native).

When does Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis bloom?

Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis blooms May-Jul(Jan).

What plant family does Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis belong to?

Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis is in the Malvaceae family, genus Malacothamnus.

Is Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis rare or endangered?

Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.

What habitat does Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis grow in?

Malacothamnus jonesii var. gracilis grows in Early-recovering post-burn woody vegetation, edges of openings, some plants occasionally persisting into more mature vegetation stages.

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 2026-09-15

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