Pseudabutilon

Subshrubs or shrubs. Stems erect or rarely decumbent, setose or stellate-hairy, not viscid. Leaves: stipules persistent, linear to lanceolate; blade ovate to broadly ovate, unlobed or sometimes shallowly 3-lobed, not dissected, base cordate, margins crenate to serrate. Inflorescences axillary umbels or solitary flowers, sometimes aggregated in terminal inflorescences; involucel absent. Flowers: calyx accrescent, subequal to mature fruit, not inflated, lobes unribbed, triangular to ovate, basally rounded; corolla rotate or shallowly campanulate, yellow; staminal column included; ovary 5–8[–10]-carpellate; ovules (2 or)3 per cell; styles 5–8[–10]-branched; stigmas capitate. Fruits schizocarps, erect to weakly ascending, not inflated, oblate, slightly indurate, hairy; mericarps 5–8[–10], 1-celled sometimes with endoglossum which partially divides chamber into upper and lower portions (this may be interpreted as 2 cells), apex rounded, with divergent apical distal spines, lateral walls usually disintegrating at maturity, dehiscent. Seeds (2 or)3 per mericarp, turbinate, papillate, glabrous. x = 8.

Distribution

sc, sw United States, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.

Discussion

Species 18 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

Fryxell, P. A. 1997b. A revision and redefinition of Pseudabutilon (Malvaceae). Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 21: 175–195.

Lower Taxa

Pseudabutilon thurberi, Pseudabutilon umbellatum

Key

1	Stems sparsely setose, hairs spreading, glabrescent, sometimes also with few stellate hairs.	Pseudabutilon thurberi
1	Stems densely stellate-hairy, hairs tufted, sometimes also with few simple hairs.	Pseudabutilon umbellatum