Scientific Family
Malvaceae
Synonyms
Sphaeralcea emoryi ssp. arida, S. emoryi ssp. variabilis, S. emoryi var. arida, S. emoryi var. californica and more see SEINET.
Other common names
Emory globe mallow
Emory globemallow
Emory's desertmallow
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
To 4 feet
Riparian
No
When compared to the other common globemallows, this plant has a grayer, rougher, cruder, more stiff-looking appearance.
Perennial; densely gray, hairy herbage; stems to 4 feet, leaves thick, large, ovate, 3-lobed. mostly longer than wide; elongated flower stems narrow, many-flowered, flowers pink, orange or pale purple; walls of reproductive organs very thin.
Habitat
Deserts, sagebrush flats; sandy areas, foothills and sometimes disturbed areas such as roadsides.
Plant Community
Disturbed Areas
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
0
High elevation
3000
Flower Characteristics
Flowers 3 or more per node; elongated clusters; stems shorter than sepals; the whorl of sepals 1/4 to 1/2 inch; star-like to matted hairs; sharp or tapering lobes; petals 1/2 to 5/8 inch long.
Flower color
Pink, orange or pale purple
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
May
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Stems upright to leaning; hairy; relatively thick; leaves have finely scalloped margins, 3-lobed, alternate; dense, fine, grayish white hair, crinkled; thickened, elongated oval-triangular; heart-shaped base; moderately narrow.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Grayish-green
Leaf shape
Triangular
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Mericarp (split into separate 1-seeded segments at maturity); 1/16 to 1/4 inch; longer than wide; splitting section about as large as the body.
Fruit type
Achene