Abutilon

Abutilon (pronounced /əˈbjuːtɨlɒn/) is a large genus of approximately 150 species of broadleaf evergreens in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus includes annuals, perennials, shrubs, and small trees from 1-10 m tall, and is found in the tropical and subtropical regions of all continents. The leaves are alternate, unlobed or palmately lobed with 3-7 lobes. The flowers are conspicuous, with five petals, mostly red, pink, orange, yellow or white.

Common names include Abutilon, Chinese Bell Flower, Chinese Lantern, Mallow, Indian Mallow, and Flowering Maple (for the maple-like leaves of some species, although the genus is not related to the true maples).

Abutilon species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Yellow-banded Skipper (which feeds exclusively on A. avicennae) and Chionodes mariona.

Species

A. abutiloides (Jacq.) Garcke (Bushy Abutilon).
A. albescens Miq.
A. auritum (Wall. ex Link) Sweet (Asian Indian Mallow)
A. bedfordianum (Hook.) A. St.-Hil. (Bedford's Mallow)
A. berlandieri Gray ex S. Watson (Berlandier's Indian Mallow)
A. bidentatum A. Rich.
A. buchii Urb.
A. darwinii Hook.f. (Darwin's Mallow)
A. eremitopetalum Caum - Hiddenpetal Indian Mallow (Lānaʻi in Hawaiʻi)
A. fruticosum Guill. & Perr. (Texas Indian Mallow)
A. giganteum (Jacq.) Sweet
A. grandiflorum G. Don
A. grandifolium (Willd.) Sweet (Hairy Indian Mallow)
A. greveanum (Baill.) Hochr.
A. hirtum (Lam.) Sweet (Hairy Abutilon).
A. hulseanum Torr. ex A. Gray
A. hypoleucum A. Gray (Whiteleaf Indian Mallow)
A. incanum (Link) Sweet - Hoary Abutilon, Pelotazo (Southwestern United States, northern Mexico, Hawaiʻi)
A. indicum (L.) Sweet (Indian Mallow)
A. insigne Planch.
A. julianae Endl.
A. lauraster Hochr.
A. leonardi Urb. (Woolly Abutilon)
A. leucopetalum (F. Muell.) F. Muell. ex Benth.
A. longicuspe Hochst. ex A. Rich.
A. malacum S. Watson (Yellow Indian Mallow)
A. mauritianum (Jacq.) Medik.
A. megapotamicum A. St.-Hil. & Naudin (Trailing Abutilon)
A. menziesii Seem. Koʻoloaʻula (Hawaiʻi)
A. mollicomum (Willd.) Sweet (Sonoran Indian Mallow)
A. mollissimum
A. niveum Griseb. (White-flowered Abutilon)
A. ochsenii Phil.
A. palmeri A. Gray (Palmer's Indian Mallow)
A. parishii A. Watson (Parish's Indian Mallow)
A. parvulum A. Gray (Dwarf Indian Mallow)
A. pauciflorum A. St.-Hil. (Woolly Abutilon).
A. permolle (Willd.) Sweet (Velvety Abutilon).
A. pictum (Gillies ex Hook.) Walp. (Redvein Abutilon, Red Vein Indian Mallow; syn. A. striatum)
A. purpurascens (Link) K. Schum.
A. reflexum (Juss. ex Cav.) Sweet
A. ramiflorum A. St.-Hil.
A. reventum S. Watson (Yellowflower Indian Mallow)
A. sachetianum Fosberg
A. sandwicense (O. Deg.) Christoph. Greenflower Indian Mallow (Oahʻu in Hawaiʻi)
A. sellowianum (Klotzsch) Regel
A. theophrasti Medik. (Velvetleaf, Indian Mallow, Butterweed)
A. thurberi A. Gray (Thurber's Indian Mallow)
A. thyrsodendron Griseb.
A. trisulcatum (Jacq.) Britton & Millsp.
A. venosum Lem.
A. virginianum Krapov. (Virgin Islands Abutilon)
A. vitifolium
A. wrightii A. Gray

Hybrids

Abutilon x hybridum ("Chinese Lantern"; unknown parentage).
Abutilon x milleri (A. megapotamicum x A. pictum).
Abutilon x suntense (A. ochsenii x A. vitifolium).

Cultivation and uses

Abutilons are popular garden plants in subtropical areas. The hardiest species, A. ochsenii and A. vitifolium from Chile, are hardy in warm temperate areas with moderate frost down to about -10°C.

Abutilon x hybridum is a popular group of hybrids that are semi-tropical, frost-tender shrubs typically growing 2-3 m tall. The lantern-like buds open to solitary, pendulous, bell- to cup-shaped flowers to 8 cm diameter with five overlapping petals and significant staminal columns typical of the mallow family. Flowers come in red, pink, yellow, white and pastel shades. Lobed, maple-like, light green leaves are often variegated with white and yellow.

Translation

The word "Abutilon" occurs as such in the following languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Galician, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese.

Translation(s) in other languages: Czech: Mračňák, Esperanto: Abutilo, Kazakh: Абутилон, Lithuanian: Galenis, Japanese: アブチロン属, Polish: Zaślaz, Russian: Канатник, Swedish: Klockmalvesläktet, Turkish: Güzelhatmi, Ukrainian: Абутилон.