Palmer's Indian Mallow
Superstition Mallow
Abutilon palmeri
View looking at the top of a mature fruit of Palmer's Abutilon ready to release seeds from eleven schizocarps. Notice soft pubescence on the leaves. Near Bumblebee, Yavapai Co., Arizona. June 2012.
This and the flower photo at right were taken at Estes Canyon, Ajo Mountains, Pima Co., Arizona. 12 Oct. 2014. The plants at this location were robust with larger than usual leaves.
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LEAVES: The broadly ovate leaves have a thick velvety texture due to
abundant, soft hairs. The margins are shallow-toothed.
FLOWERS: Five bright yellow-orange petals. Prominent column of stamens
at center of flower and the style rising from their center.
SHRUB: A spindly, slightly woody plant. Leafy after getting sufficient
moisture, otherwise rather hard to find. Few plants are taller than
1 meter.
RANGE: Usually growing in canyon bottoms just out of the flood zone.
Common in the Superstition Mountains north of Apache Junction. Scattered
locations in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and Mexico and in parts of the
southern California deserts.
FRUIT: At maturity each of the dozen or so carpal segments splits along the
top to release one seed from each.
UNARMED.
