Sphaeralcea ambigua – “Apricot Mallow”

Also Known As: Desert Mallow, Desert Globemallow, Desert Hollyhock, Sore Eye Poppy, Mal de Ojos, Plantas Muy Malas
Family: Mallow (Malvaceae)
Bloom Period: Feb-Mar
Form: Perennial subshrub
Habitat: Sandy or gravelly soils and disturbed places
Leaves: Pinnately-lobed with distinctively scalloped margins and conspicuous veins; alternate
Translation: “Sphaeralcea” is Greek for “globe-mallow” and refers to the spherical fruits (which later flatten into “cheese wheels”); “ambigua” is Latin for “doubtful,” and refers to the uncertainty of the botanist who first described and named the species. In this case, that botanist was Asa Gray of “Grayia” fame: see Grayia spinosa.
Notes: Jaeger describes this plant as “so handsome when in flower that many desert folk think it the climax of floral beauty.” Under magnification, the leaves appear to be covered with tiny hairs that resemble cactus spines, a characteristic that helps deflect sunlight. These tiny hairs can be an irritant for some people especially if they get in the eyes, which explains the common names, “Sore Eye Poppy,” Mal de Ojos (“bad for eyes”) and Plantas Muy Malas (“very bad plant”). Conversely, the name given this plant by the Pima translates as “a cure for sore eyes,” so they must have been doing something different. The root, like other plants in its family, has emollient properties and is effective for skin infections.
Second photo shows a super-bloom of this lovely plant in the Mojave National Preserve in 2016.
Native American Uses: The Shoshone took it internally as a birth control and to treat upset stomach, colds, and venereal disease, applied it topically as a poultice for swollen areas and used a decoction of the leaves as an eyewash. They also used it to treat wire cuts on their horses and added the boiled plant to red clay for making cups. The Pima and Seri treated diarrhea with a decoction of the root.
Animal Associations: Food plant for the larvae of several species of butterfly including the Northern White-Skipper, Small Checkered-Skipper, Common Checkered-Skipper, West Coast Lady, and (probably) the White-Checkered Skipper.