| Malacothamnus fremontii | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Subfamily: | Malvoideae |
| Genus: | Malacothamnus |
| Species: | M. fremontii |
| Binomial name | |
| Malacothamnus fremontii (Torr. ex A.Gray) Torr. ex Greene |
|
Malacothamnus fremontii is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Frémont's bushmallow (after John C. Frémont).
Malacothamnus fremontii is a stiff, erect shrub with a branching stem reaching one half to nearly two meters in height. It is coated densely in white fibers, appearing feltlike. The hairy oval or rounded lobed leaves are several centimeters long. The inflorescence is an elongated cluster of many pale purple flowers with hairy petals each up to a centimeter long.
Malacothamnus fremontii is endemic to California, where it has a scattered distribution throughout the state, growing in chaparral and woodlands in several mountain ranges and foothills.