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pelotazo, Texas Indian mallow

shrubby Indian mallow

Habit Subshrubs, 1–1.5 m. Stems erect, stellate-tomentulose, without simple hairs. Subshrubs, to 1.5 m. Stems erect, roughly stellate-pubescent, without glandular hairs.
Leaves

stipules subulate, 2 mm;

petiole shorter than blade;

blade ± concolorous, ovate, 2–10 cm (often smaller), somewhat longer than wide, base cordate, margins irregularly serrate, apex acute, surfaces minutely stellate-pubescent.

stipules subulate, 6–8 mm;

petiole usually shorter than blade;

blade slightly discolorous, ovate, 2–10 cm, longer than wide, base truncate to cordate, margins obscurely to prominently crenate-serrate, apex usually acuminate, surfaces roughly pubescent.

Inflorescences

solitary flowers or terminal panicles.

solitary flowers or racemose panicles.

Flowers

calyx 3–5 mm, lobes not overlapping, reflexed in fruit, lanceolate-ovate, to 8 mm wide;

corolla yellow throughout, petals 5–10 mm;

staminal column glabrous;

style 6–9-branched.

calyx 9–12 mm, basally truncate, lobes basally overlapping, erect in fruit, acuminate, to 8 mm wide;

corolla rotate, orange-yellow throughout, petals 10–12 mm;

staminal column pubescent;

style 8–10-branched.

Seeds

3 per mericarp, 2 mm, puberulent but appearing glabrous.

3 per mericarp, 3 mm, reticulately scabridulous.

Schizocarps

cask-shaped, 8–9 × 8–9 mm;

mericarps: apex acute or apiculate, surface tomentulose.

± ovoid, 9–14 × 10–16 mm;

mericarps: apex acuminate, surface uniformly stellate-pubescent and with simple hairs on abaxial margins.

2n

= 14.

= 28.

Abutilon fruticosum

Abutilon abutiloides

Phenology Flowering year-round. Flowering year-round.
Habitat Open, arid habitats Open, arid habitats
Elevation 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; NM; OK; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas); se Europe; n Africa
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; TX; Mexico; West Indies (Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Abutilon fruticosum is thought to be native to the New World; it also occurs disjunctly in northern Africa and the Levant countries. It is widespread in southwestern Texas, scarce in Oklahoma and Arkansas, and is known from Chaves and Lincoln counties, New Mexico.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Abutilon abutiloides has been confused with A. californicum Bentham and A. berlandieri; the three species are distinct (P. A. Fryxell 1988). It is found in extreme southern Texas and more commonly in west-central and southeastern Arizona.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 6, p. 223. FNA vol. 6, p. 222.
Parent taxa Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Abutilon Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Abutilon
Sibling taxa
A. abutiloides, A. berlandieri, A. coahuilae, A. hirtum, A. hulseanum, A. hypoleucum, A. incanum, A. malacum, A. mollicomum, A. palmeri, A. parishii, A. parvulum, A. permolle, A. reventum, A. theophrasti, A. trisulcatum, A. wrightii
A. berlandieri, A. coahuilae, A. fruticosum, A. hirtum, A. hulseanum, A. hypoleucum, A. incanum, A. malacum, A. mollicomum, A. palmeri, A. parishii, A. parvulum, A. permolle, A. reventum, A. theophrasti, A. trisulcatum, A. wrightii
Synonyms A. texense Sida abutiloides, A. lignosum
Name authority Guillemin & Perrottet: in J. B. A. Guillemin et al., Fl. Seneg. Tent. 1: 70. (1831) (Jacquin) Garcke ex Hochreutiner: Annuaire Conserv. Jard. Bot. Genève 6: 22. (1902)
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