Abutilon indicum
Common name
Indian abutilon, Indian mallow
Family
Malvaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Brief description
An erect, many-branched shrub to about 2 m tall. Leaves with stipules, simple, serrate, broadly ovate, with acuminate tips; velvety on both sides. Corolla yellow.
Distribution
Occasionally grown in NZ gardens; first seedlings seen near planted shrubs in 2017 near Whanganui
Habitat
Seedlings appear near planted specimens
Similar taxa
Some other Abutilon species
Flower colours
Yellow
Fruiting
A dry ridged capsule
Propagation technique
Seed
Year naturalised
2017
Origin
India and East Asia to Indonesia
Reason for introduction
Ornamental; perhaps for fibre and medicinal uses.
Etymology
abutilon: From the Arabic word for a mallow-like plant.