Malva assurgentiflora

Island mallow

Family: Malvaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Island mallow is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in the Channel Islands and naturalized in coastal and southern California counties on coastal bluffs at elevations below 350 meters. Flowering all year, this plant produces rose to purple flowers with dark veins and pale bases, 2.5 to 4.5 centimeters long and often reflexed with age. Growing 1 to 4 meters tall with decumbent to erect stems, it develops a robust and spreading habit with stellate-hairy or occasionally glabrous branches. Its distinctive leaves are 5 to 15 centimeters wide with 5 to 7 triangular-ovate lobes that are toothed and can be hairy or smooth. The fruit is a distinctive round capsule 12 to 16 millimeters in diameter with 6 to 8 smooth segments that develop from the plant's showy flowers.

Habitat: Coastal bluffs

Bloom period: All year

Elevation: < 350 m.

Bioregions: ChI, naturalized CCo, SCo

California counties: Alameda, Marin, Orange, San Diego, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Ventura, Santa Cruz, Mono

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