Gooseberryleaf globemallow

Description

Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name gooseberryleaf globemallow. It is native to the western United States, where it can be found in the Great Basin and surrounding regions. It grows in sagebrush, woodlands, playas, and the canyons of the upper Colorado River. It is common in disturbed areas, such as habitat recently cleared by wildfire. Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia is a perennial herb that produces erect stems up to 1 m. (3 ft.) tall from a woody base. The root system is large, constituting a stout, tough taproot and a spreading fibrous root network. The herbage is usually woolly in texture, but hairless specimens are known, and it is gray-green to purplish in color. The leaves have three-lobed blades with toothed or lobed edges, measuring up to 3.5 centimeters long. As the plant's name suggests, the leaves are sometimes shaped like those of plants in the family Grossulariaceae, the currants and gooseberries. Flowers occur in a raceme-like inflorescence. Each flower has five red-orange petals each 1 to 2 centimeters long. The flowers are pollinated by many bee species and by wasps of the genus Ammoplanus. Sphaeralcea is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae). There are about 40-60 species, including annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Most originate in the drier regions of North America, with some known from South America. They are commonly known as globemallows, globe mallows, or falsemallows. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek words σφαῖρα (sphaira), meaning "sphere," and αλκεα (alkea), meaning "mallow." The leaves of these plants are spirally arranged, and usually palmate or toothed. Both stems and leaves are downy. Like other Malvaceae, the flowers are saucer- or cup-shaped, with the stamens joined into a column in the center. Sphaeralcea species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia olivacea, which has been recorded on S. lindheimeri.