Kingdom Plantae Family Malvaceae Genus Malacothamnus Higher classification Malacothamnus | Order Malvales Subfamily Malvoideae Scientific name Malacothamnus palmeri Rank Species | |
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Similar Malacothamnus, Mallows, Malacothamnus fremontii, Malacothamnus davidsonii, Malacothamnus densiflorus | ||
Malacothamnus palmeri is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Palmer's bushmallow and Santa Lucia bushmallow. This flower is pink in color. It grows in openings in heavy chaparral and mixed evergreen forest. It requires adobe/shale to red clay type of soil to grow. The associated species are Quercus agrifolia, Adenostoma fasciculatum, Garrya elliptica, Rhamnus californica,Diplacus aurantiacus, Arctostaphylos luciana and Arbutus menziesii. A fast growing plant in most situations. The plant is fairly narrow (it will sucker to some degree) and will fit into a narrow flower bed.
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Description
Malacothamnus palmeri is an erect shrub with a thick, branching stem reaching two meters or more in height. It is coated thinly to densely in woolly white or tan hairs. The lobed, oval leaves are no more than 8 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a headlike or elongated cluster of pale pink flowers with oval petals each up to 1.5 centimeters long.
Distribution
Malacothamnus palmeri is endemic to California, where it grows in the chaparral and woodland of the Central Coast and adjacent Coast Ranges of Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties.