Abutilon leucopetalum

Desert Chinese-lantern
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Malvaceae
Genus:	Abutilon
Species:	A. leucopetalum
Binomial name
Abutilon leucopetalum (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Benth.[1]

Abutilon leucopetalum commonly known as desert Chinese lantern,[2] is a flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small shrub with yellow flowers and branches densely covered with soft hairs.

Description

Abutilon leucopetalum is a small shrub to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high or more with a dense covering on branches of thick, velvety, star-shaped hairs mixed with longer, spreading simple hairs including the lobes and calyx. The leaves are soft, somewhat thick, variably shaped including oval or oval-lance shaped, heart-shaped, scalloped, sometimes tapering to a point and mostly retain soft, smooth hairs on both surfaces. The flowers are yellow ageing to white, tubular bell-shaped, calyx about 14–20 mm (0.55–0.79 in) long, peduncle up to 3 cm (1.2 in) long. Flowering may occur at any time of the year and the fruit is a capsule 8–15 mm (0.31–0.59 in) in diameter, consisting of 7-10 segments containing 2 or 3 dark, softly hairy seeds.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

This species was described by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Sida leucopetala. In 1863 George Bentham changed the name to Abutilon leucopetalum from an unpublished name change by Mueller and the description was published in Flora Australiensis.[4][5] The specific epithet (leucopetalum) means "white petalled".[6]

Distribution and habitat

Desert Chinese-lantern grows on ridges, rocky hills, creek beds and shallow soils in Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.[3][7]

References

1. "Abutilon leucopetalum". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
2. "Abutilon leucopetalum". Electronic Flora of South Australia species Fact Sheet. State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
3. Mitchell, A.S; Norris, E.H. "Abutilon leucopetalum". PlantNET-NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
4. "Abutilon leucopetalum". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
5. Bentham, George (1863). Flora Australiensis. Vol. v. 1 (1 ed.). London. p. 200.
6. George, A.S; Sharr, F.A (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and their meanings (4th ed.). Kardinya: Four Gables. p. 246. ISBN 9780958034197.
7. Paczkowska, Grazyna. "Abutilon leucopetalum". Florabase-the Western Australian Flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 6 October 2023.