Gierisch's Globemallow

Description:

Sphaeralcea gierischii Atwood & Welsh. Habitat here starting to being invaded by the non-native invasive Malcolmia africana and others. On this one plant we observed a somewhat large mostly black beetle (on the stem and also in one of the flowers of this plant). Its pollination ecology is largley unknown and its primary pollinator is probably not this beetle (and whether the beetle is helping or hurting is also not yet known).April 30, 2005, Virgin River drainage, Washington County, Utah, at approx. 2,475 ft. elev.