About Abutilon grandifolium (Willd.) Sweet
## Introduction Abutilon grandifolium, commonly known as hairy Indian mallow, is a large shrub reaching up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in height, with broad leaf blades measuring 3–18 cm (1.2–7.1 in) across. Its flowers are axillary, with a yellow corolla 2–3.5 cm (0.8–1.4 in) wide that is made up of petals 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 in) long. The fruits are ovoid-globular schizocarps 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 in) in diameter, composed of ten shortly beaked mericarps, each containing 2–3 seeds. A. grandifolium can be distinguished from A. theophrasti by its stem having long, simple hairs, rather than the stellate hairs found on A. theophrasti.
## Distribution This species is native to tropical America, and Central and South Africa. It has become naturalized in other regions globally, including the Canary Islands, Hawaii, and across shrubland and loamy areas of Australia; in Western Australia, it occurs on the Swan Coastal Plain. Due to its prolific seed production and strong tendency to spread, A. grandifolium is classified as an invasive species in some regions where it grows, and acts as a problematic weed in riparian zones, grasslands, and tall shrubland ecosystems worldwide. In Hawaii, it is recorded to have a detrimental impact on two endangered and threatened plant species: *Spermolepis hawaiiensis* and *Scaevola coriacea*.
