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Globemallow 

Sphaeralcea sp.
Desert hollyhock, Desert mallow, Sore eye poppy, Yerba de la Negrita

Malvacea – Mallow family

Description: Globemallow is a 1-4 foot high, short-lived, perennial bush, although several species are in fact smaller annuals. These plants are covered with small star-shaped hairs making them fussy to the touch. Due to individual species and environmental conditions, the leaves are of varying size and shape, but most are palmately lobed or at least shallowly dentate. When crushed the leaves are mucilaginous. The thickened petioled leaves alternate along the main stems. The flowers form in racemes or panicles; they are 5-petaled and showy. Orange and red are usually the predominate colors but occasionally varieties can be white, lavender or pink. The seedpod is wheel shaped, composed of 5 or more carpels and surrounded by a persistent calyx. Kidney shaped, pubescent seeds are held within each wedge-shaped carpel. Globemallow is notorious for species crossbreeding, making species identification sometimes difficult. 

Indian mallow or Abutilon sp. and Hibiscus sp. are two other regionally available native plant groupings in the Mallow family that can be used in a similar fashion. Depending on species, Indian mallow is a small, deciduous shrub or herbaceous plant. The leaves like Globemallow are covered with small hairs and alternate along the stems. They are petioled, entire or toothed and often cordate, at least towards their base. The 5-petaled flowers are usually yellow or orange, but sometimes according to species, they can be white, pink, or red. The seed capsules are cylindrically shaped and composed of seed containing carpels. Hibiscus denudate and Hibiscus coulteri are perennial, herbaceous multi-stemmed small plants. Hibiscus denudatus’s leaves are ovoid or obovate, with prominent teeth. The large lavender flowers are quite a contrast to its light green leaves. Hibiscus coulteri’s mature leaves are deeply 3-lobed; the lower leaves are lesser so. The plant’s large flowers are yellow with a red spot at their base. There are several seeds in each wedge-shaped carpel.

Distribution
Globemallow is abundant throughout the interior west and can be found in a wide array of elevations and climates. Sphaeralcea coccinea, one of the larger distributed species, stretches from Arizona and New Mexico, north to Saskatchewan andAlberta. Other species’ ranges are similar, although the densest populations of all species combined occur within the arid southwest. Look to dry hillsides, roadsides, trailsides and disturbed soils.

Indian mallow is generally a plant of the southwest deserts. Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico contains the bulk of the plant. It is found from 1,000-5,500 feet on rocky slopes, streamsides and canyon bottoms. Hibiscus denudatus is found from sea level to 4,000 feet in the Sonoran desert of California, east through much of southern Arizona, skipping the bulk of New Mexico to southern Texas, west of the Pecos River. A disjointed pocket exists in Clark County Nevada. Hibiscuscoulteri is found from 2,000-4,000 feet throughout the Sonoran desert in Arizona, southeast Cochise County in Arizona to the Big Bend area of Texas.

Chemistry
Various polysaccharides (pectin, mucilage and starch), namely arabinogalactans; tannins; similar to Mallow

Medicinal Uses
Globemallow is a useful tea used in beginning stages of bronchitis. When the lungs and throat feel hot and irritated and there is an unproductive cough the tea sipped throughout the day will gently diminish the cough reflex and sooth inflamed bronchial and throat tissues. Globemallow’s pharmacological activity provides a slight immunologic boost to the lung environment. Dust cells or macrophages that reside in the alveoli are stimulated by Globemallow’s polysaccharide content. These immunologic mucilages - mainly arabinogalactan and other related compounds - serve as the main stimulator in this area. The dust cells reside deep within the lungs, beyond the larger bronchi, in the air sacs. They engulf and eliminate foreign particles that are small enough to become deposited within the alveoli. Globemallow intensifies this process, making our local respiratory environment more resilient and active.

Globemallow is also a practical urinary tract anti-inflammatory. Urethral and bladder irritation, respond well to this soothing plant. The surrounding urinary tract tissues are soothed through their contact with the Malvacea constituents, which are eliminated through the urine. Extra herbal benefit will be gained, if in fact there is an infection, from an appropriate urinary tract antibacterial herb such as Manzanita or Juniper.

Externally Globemallow makes an excellent emollient poultice. It is very useful in reducing swellings from injury, bringing abscesses to a head, and getting splinters to slowly gravitate to the skin’s surface. Globemallow’s immunological stimulation quickens the tissue’s natural process of resolution. The body then proceeds to encapsulate spent phagocytes, damaged tissue cells and other cellular wastes created by this process. This mass is then slowly resolved from the inside or comes to a head on the outside and is released. Acalypha or Plumbago can be added for an additional stimulating effect.

Indications
Bronchitis, with an irritative cough
Urinary tract irritation
Accesses, splinters (internal and external)

Collection
Collect Globemallow in the spring after it has been enlivened by winter-spring rains. Its growth will be full and new, as opposed to early summer collection where the leaves are smaller, more condensed, a bit more astringent, but still good medicine. Snip the upper herbage that consists of the stem, flower, and leaf. Dry normally.

Preparations
Globemallow has a pleasantly sweet, slippery and astringent taste. When making the foliage infusion, strain it well to remove the very small leaf hairs. If left in the tea they can be irritating to the throat. 

To prepare a poultice, bring 8 ounces of water to a boil and then remove from heat. Slowly stir in enough dried and powdered Globemallow leaves to achieve an oatmeal–pudding like consistency. Place this glob in several folds of cheesecloth and then place this on the affected area when it has sufficiently cooled down – but is still hot. Cover with a warm damp towel. Repeat the process as needed.

Dosage
Herb infusion: 4-8 ounces 3 times daily
Poultice: as needed

Cautions
Another common name, Sore eye poppy, refers to the irritating effect the plant hairs have if accidentally rubbed or blown into the eyes. Strain the tea well. Since the hairs can be irritating to the throat, use a cloth for best results. Otherwise, Globemallow is such a benign plant it really can be taken freely with virtually no restrictions. A friend related a story to me once about Globemallow. He and several buddies were driving a truck with windows down on a dirt road with Globemallow on both sides. As they traveled, the side mirrors slapped the 4-5 foot high plants creating a fine cloud of leaf hair in the cab. After several minutes of this their eyes were red from the contact irritation of the fine leaf hairs…Sore eye poppy. Also, when children rub their eyes after playing with the plant the same can result.

Copyright © 2006 by Charles W. Kane

This and additional profiles are found in Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest