Copper globe-mallow
Sphaeralcea angustifolia
Synonyms: Malvastrum angustifolium, Malveopsis angustifolia, Sphaeroma angustifolium, Malva angustifolia
Western Herbalism Properties
Gallery
Botanical Description
Sphaeralcea angustifolia, the copper or narrow-leaf globe-mallow, is a shrubby perennial of the mallow family (Malvaceae) producing many erect stems reaching up to about three metres in maximum height, the whole plant clothed in a woolly or felt-like indumentum of stellate hairs. The grey-green leaves are lance-shaped, up to 5 cm long, with wavy or shallowly lobed margins. Flowers are borne in elongate, leafy panicles along the upper stems; each bloom has five wedge-shaped petals just under 1 cm long, ranging from coppery orange to pinkish-red, surrounding a column of yellow anthers typical of the family. The fruit is a flattened schizocarp of several one-seeded mericarps. The species inhabits desert and plateau habitats across the south-western United States and northern and central Mexico, occurring on dry roadsides, washes, and open slopes from low to mid elevations.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
Indigenous peoples of the south-western United States made extensive medicinal use of copper globe-mallow. Navajo, Tewa, Keres, Kiowa, and Pima groups recorded ten distinct drug applications, including use as a cold remedy, cough medicine, gastrointestinal aid, antidiarrheal, dermatological aid, disinfectant, snake-bite remedy, ceremonial medicine, gynecological aid, and miscellaneous disease remedy (Native American Ethnobotany Database). Additional non-medicinal uses included decoration, paint, fasteners, preservative, and as an unspecified food.
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.