Species Details

Malacothamnus involucratus

Carmel Valley bushmallow

View Report Copy Link Calflora eFlora CCH CalPhotos iNaturalist

Species Description:

Malacothamnus involucratus, commonly known as Carmel Valley bushmallow, is a perennial deciduous shrub in the Malvaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chaparral, Cismontane woodland, and Coastal scrub, growing at elevations from 30 to 1100 meters. Malacothamnus involucratus is ranked 1B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

Classification

Scientific Name: Malacothamnus involucratus (B.L. Rob.) K. Morse
Common Name: Carmel Valley bushmallow
Family:	Malvaceae
Element Code:	PDMAL0Q0B1
USDA Plants Symbol:
Synonyms/Other Names: Malacothamnus palmeri (S. Watson) Greene var. involucratus (B.L. Rob.) Kearney
Name Status:	JEP, FNA, POWO, IPNI, Tropicos

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.2
Fed List:	None
State List:	None
Global Rank:	G3T2Q
State Rank:	S2
Other Status:	BLM_S; SB_UCSC; USFS_S
CRPR Changes:
Add Date:	1974-01-01
Date Edited:	2024-06-04

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial deciduous shrub

Blooming Period: Apr-Oct

Elevation:
30 - 1100 meters
100 - 3610 feet

General Habitats:

Chaparral
Cismontane woodland
Coastal scrub

Microhabitat Details:

Microhabitat:

Notes

Notes: See Synoptical Flora of North America 1(1):310 (1897) for original description and Leaflets of Western Botany 6(6):121 (1951) for revised nomenclature.
Threats: Threatened by development in MNT Co.
Taxonomy: A synonym of M. palmeri in TJM (1993).

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

THREAT LIST:
Threat List Total:	4
	Total EOs	% of EOs
EOs with Threat Listed:	6	24 %
Grazing	4	16%
Military operations	2	8%
Road/trail construction/maint.	1	4%
Development	1	4%

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Element Occurrence Ranks:
Total Occurrences:					25
A	B	C	D	X	U
3	3	2	0	0	17

Occurrence Status:
Historical >20 Years	24
Recent <=20 Years	1

Presence:
Presumed Extant	25
Possibly Extirpated	0
Presumed Extirpated	0

Location

California Endemic:

California Island:

States: Name (Code)
California (CA)

California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Monterey (MNT)

Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Cosio Knob (3612112), Espinosa Canyon (3612111), Hames Valley (3512088), Jolon (3512182), Monterey (3612158), Rana Creek (3612145), Seaside (3612157), Spreckels (3612156), Williams Hill (3512181)

Notes:

Definitions of codes following a county and/or quad:
*		Presumed extirpated
(?)		Occurrence confirmed, but possibly extirpated
Quad and county data is imported from the CNDDB. Species may be present in other areas where conditions are favorable. These data should NOT be substituted for pre-project review or for on-site surveys.

Regional Map

Map

Presumed Extant

Click on quad for name. Hold Shift Key to use mouse scroll wheel

CNPS Rare Plant Inventory