Sphaeralcea rusbyi var. eremicola

Rusby's desert-mallow

Family: Malvaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Rusby's desert-mallow is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native shrub found in northern Death Valley region, eastern Mojave Desert, and Clark Mountain Range in desert scrub at elevations of 1,000 to 1,500 meters. Flowering in May, this plant produces vibrant red-orange flowers less than 20 millimeters long with yellow anthers. Growing as an erect subshrub approximately 3 decimeters tall with an upright form, it develops a distinctive branching structure. Its light green leaves are widely ovate, featuring three deep lobes, each approximately 15 to 20 millimeters long with a truncate to heart-shaped base. The fruit develops in segments approximately 5 millimeters wide, containing one to two black-gray seeds per segment.

Habitat: Desert scrub

Bloom period: May

Elevation: 1000-1500 m

Bioregions: n DMtns (Death Valley region, e Inyo Co. Clark Mtn Range, ne San Bernardino Co.), e DMoj exc DMtns.

California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Riverside

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