Taxon Report

Malacothamnus abbottii (Eastw.) Kearn.

Abbott's bushmallow

Print Report


© 2018 Keir Morse

Taxon Summary

Malacothamnus abbottii, commonly known as Abbott's bushmallow, is a perennial deciduous shrub in the Malvaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Riparian scrub, growing at elevations from 135 to 490 meters. Malacothamnus abbottii is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Malacothamnus abbottii (Eastw.) Kearn.
Common Name:
Abbott's bushmallow
Family: Malvaceae
Element Code: PDMAL0Q010
USDA Plants Symbol: MAAB
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial deciduous shrub
Blooming Period: May-Oct May-Oct
Elevation: 135-490 (445-1610)
General Habitats: Riparian scrub
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 13
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 2
   Fair (C) 5
   Poor (D) 3
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 3
California Endemic:  True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Monterey (MNT)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Bryson (3512171), Hames Valley (3512088), Wunpost (3512087)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 7
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
10 77 %
Grazing 10 76%
Other 8 61%
Road/trail construction/maint. 6 46%
Erosion/runoff 5 38%
Agriculture 4 30%
Development 3 23%
Mining 3 23%

Notes

Rediscovered in 1990 by D. Mitchell near Sargent Creek. 
Threats:
Threatened by housing development, grazing, energy development, and road construction. 
Taxonomy:
See Leaflets of Western Botany 1:215 (1936) for original description.
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 27 February 2025].