Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Account for Velvetleaf - Abutilon theophrasti   Medikus
Members of Malvaceae:
Only member of Abutilon in NC.
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Section 6 » Order Malvales » Family Malvaceae
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AuthorMedikus
DistributionMostly Piedmont and Mountains; rare in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain.

Native of Eurasia; in N.A. throughout the U.S. plus southern Ont.
AbundanceUncommon, except rare in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain.
HabitatRoadsides, old fields, fallow fields, crop fields, pig pen, nursery weed, garden weed, restored floodplain, fill land.
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting June-October.
IdentificationThis herbaceous species is a robust one, growing 3-8 feet tall. It is readily identified by its velvety soft-hairy leaves that are about as broad as long and cordate at the base, well-spaced, and long-stalked. It has medium-sized bright yellow flowers with 5 petals, solitary from a leaf axil. The fruits are deep pie-shaped, actually a ring of 12-17 united carpels that from above are reminiscent of cut slices of a pie.
Taxonomic Comments
Other Common Name(s)Pie-marker
State RankSE
Global RankGNR
State Status
US Status
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