Malacothamnus densiflorus

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Malacothamnus densiflorus
Status TNC G3.svg
Vulnerable  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Malacothamnus
Species:
M. densiflorus
Binomial name
Malacothamnus densiflorus

Malacothamnus densiflorus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, which has two varieties. It is endemic to the Peninsular Ranges of southwestern California and northwestern Baja California. [1]

Contents

Varieties

Two varieties are recognized in Malacothamnus densiflorus: Malacothamnus densiflorus var. densiflorus and Malacothamnus densiflorus var. viscidus. The geographic ranges of these varieties only overlap slightly. [1]

Malacothamnus densiflorusvar. densiflorus is known by the common names few-rayed bushmallow, many-flowered bushmallow, and dense-flowered bushmallow. It can be mostly distinguished from the rest of the genus by the nonglandular trichomes on the abaxial calyx surface, which are relatively long, relatively sparse (especially on the calyx tube), and simple to relatively few-rayed. The common name few-rayed bushmallow comes from this distinctive character. It is distinguished from M. densiflorus var. viscidus by having sparser nonglandular trichomes on the abaxial surface of the calyx tube and shorter glandular trichomes overall. [1]

Malacothamnus densiflorusvar.viscidus is known by the common name emerald unicorn bushmallow, which is named after the glandular trichomes that, after drying, sometimes resemble unicorn horns made of emerald. It can be distinguished from most of the rest of the genus by the combination of a spike-like inflorescence and relatively long glandular trichomes. Malacothamnus densiflorus var. viscidus is endemic to San Diego County, California and adjacent Baja California on Otay Mountain northward to near the town of Jamul, California. [1]

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<i>Malacothamnus</i> Genus of shrubs

Malacothamnus (bushmallow) is a genus of shrubs found throughout much of mainland California and on three of the Channel Islands. Outside of California, Malacothamnus is known from the northern half of Baja California and from a few disjunct locations in Arizona. Plants of this genus are most commonly found in early-successional, post-burn plant communities. Malacothamnus are currently thought to be most closely related to the Iliamnas of the US interior and the Phymosias of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

<i>Hymenopappus filifolius</i> Species of flowering plant

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Malacothamnus abbottii is a rare species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Abbott's bushmallow. It is endemic to Monterey County, California, where it has recently been observed at only a few locations. It was historically known from a single specimen collection and the plant was presumed extinct until it was rediscovered in 1990 near San Ardo in the Salinas River drainage. It is now known from eleven occurrences, many of which are actually part of a single population, growing in vulnerable riverbeds near oil fields. Its habitat is periodically flooding riparian scrub among sandbar willows. This is a shrub with a slender, branching stem growing erect to a maximum height over one meter. It is coated in thin white hairs and bears toothed oval leaves a few centimeters long, sometimes divided into lobes. The inflorescence is a cluster of a few pale pink flowers with pointed oval petals 6 or 7 millimeters long.

Malacothamnus aboriginum is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Indian Valley bushmallow. It is endemic to the southern Coastal Ranges of California, primarily in the southern half of the Diablo Range and the Gabilan Range. Plants from San Diego County called Malacothamnus aboriginum in the past were described as the new species Malacothamnus enigmaticus in 2019.

<i>Malacothamnus davidsonii</i> Species of flowering plant

Malacothamnus davidsonii is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Tujunga bushmallow and Davidson's bushmallow. It is endemic to Los Angeles County, California, where it primary occurs in and near Big Tujunga Canyon, Little Tujunga Canyon, and Tujunga Wash. The common name Tujunga bushmallow alludes to its geographic distribution. Plants of what has historically been considered Malacothamnus davidsonii from Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties in California were described as the new species Malacothamnus discombobulatus in 2023 based on phylogenetic, morphological, and geographic evidence.

<i>Malacothamnus fasciculatus</i> Species of flowering plant

Malacothamnus fasciculatus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, which has four varieties. It is endemic to southwestern California and northwestern Baja California.

Malacothamnus fremontii is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, which has two varieties, one of which is sometimes recognized as the species Malacothamnus helleri. Malacothamnus fremontii is known by the common names unfurled bushmallow and Frémont's bushmallow. Unfurled bushmallow is the suggested common name for people who do not wish to honor Fremont, who led multiple massacres against Indigenous peoples. Malacothamnus fremontii is endemic to northern California in and west of the Sierra Nevada.

Malacothamnus jonesii is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family which has three varieties, two of which are sometimes recognized at the species rank as Malacothamnus gracilis and Malacothamnus niveus. Malacothamnus jonesii is endemic to San Luis Obispo County, California and just over its northern and southern borders in Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.

Malacothamnus palmeri is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Cambria bushmallow and Palmer's bushmallow. It is endemic to San Luis Obispo County, California, where it is known from the Santa Lucia Mountains.

<i>Quercus parvula</i> Species of oak tree

Quercus parvula, the Santa Cruz Island oak, is an evergreen red oak found on north-facing Santa Cruz Island slopes and in the California Coast Ranges from Santa Barbara County north to Mendocino County. It was taxonomically combined with Quercus wislizeni until resurrected as a separate species by Kevin Nixon in 1980. The type locality of Q. parvula var. shrevei is Palo Colorado Canyon in Monterey County. It is placed in Quercus section Lobatae.

Malacothamnus enigmaticus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name enigmatic bush-mallow. It is endemic to the Peninsular Ranges of California and Baja California, Mexico extending from the San Ysidro Mountains in the north to the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir in the south. It was first collected in 1938 and described as a new species to science in 2019. Prior to 2019, it had been mistakenly assigned to Malacothamnus aboriginum and Malacothamnus densiflorus.

<i>Malacothamnus lucianus</i> Species of flowering plant

Malacothamnus lucianus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Santa Lucia bushmallow and Arroyo Seco bushmallow and by the cultivar name Hanging Valley bushmallow. It is endemic to Monterey County, California, United States, where it is known from the Santa Lucia Mountains.

Malacothamnus involucratus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Carmel Valley bushmallow. It is likely endemic to Monterey County, California, where it is known from Carmel Valley and the Jolon region. A single specimen is attributed to San Luis Obispo County, California but the origin of this specimen is questionable.

Malacothamnus arcuatus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, which has two varieties, one of which is sometimes recognized as the species Malacothamnus hallii.

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Malacothamnus astrotentaculatus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name starry-tentacled bushmallow. It is named after the somewhat tentacle-like outgrowths on the calyx that are covered in stellate trichomes. It is endemic to Shasta and Tehama counties in California.

Malacothamnus eastwoodiae is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Alice's lovely bushmallow. It is named after the botanist Alice Eastwood. It is endemic to Santa Barbara County, California and currently only known from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

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<i>Malacothamnus nuttallii</i> Species of flowering plant

Malacothamnus nuttallii is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Ojai bushmallow. It is named after the botanist Thomas Nuttall. It is endemic to Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties in California. It is sometimes treated as a variety of Malacothamnus fasciculatus but morphological, phylogenetic, and phenological evidence show it to be distinct. Malacothamnus nuttallii is widely planted and is in cultivation under the name Malacothamnus fasciculatus ‘Casitas’.

Malacothamnus foliosus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Ensenada bushmallow and monarch bushmallow. It is endemic to Baja California, Mexico and has been introduced into Los Angeles County, California. Morphological and geographic evidence indicates that M. foliosus could possibly be treated as multiple taxa, but phylogenetic analyses are inconclusive and more research is needed.

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