Abbott's bushmallow facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Abbott's bushmallow
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Malvaceae
Genus:	Malacothamnus
Species:	M. abbottii
Binomial name
Malacothamnus abbottii (Eastw.) Kearney
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Malacothamnus abbottii, also called Abbott's bushmallow, is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the mallow family. This special plant is found only in Monterey County, California. This means it is endemic to that area.

For a long time, people thought Abbott's bushmallow was extinct. Scientists only knew about it from one plant collected many years ago. But in 1990, it was found again! This exciting discovery happened near San Ardo. It was growing in the Salinas River area.

About Abbott's Bushmallow

Today, scientists know of eleven places where this plant grows. Many of these spots are actually part of one big group of plants. They live in riverbeds that can flood sometimes. These areas are near oil fields. The plant grows among sandbar willows (Salix exigua). This type of habitat is called riparian scrub.

What Does It Look Like?

Abbott's bushmallow is a shrub. It has a thin stem that branches out. The plant can grow over one meter (about 3 feet) tall. Its stem is covered in soft, thin white hairs. The leaves are oval-shaped and have jagged edges. They are a few centimeters long. Sometimes, the leaves are divided into smaller parts called lobes.

Its Flowers

The plant produces clusters of pale pink flowers. Each flower has pointed, oval petals. These petals are about 6 or 7 millimeters long.