Abutilon menziesii is a diffusely branched shrub or tree. It is closely velvety with stellate pubescence and can reach heights of 2 to occasionally 3 meters. The leaves are simple and alternate, with deeply cordate-ovate blades ranging from 3 to 10 cm, sometimes up to 14 cm, and occasionally angulately 3-lobed. The leaf apex is acute to long-acuminate, and surfaces are covered with stellate pubescence. The margins are finely to coarsely crenate to serrate. Petioles are 2.5 to 5 cm long, sometimes extending to 8 cm. Stipules are usually present. It bears solitary, pendulous flowers in the leaf axils, with pedicels 2.5 to 3.5 cm long, occasionally up to 5 cm, and is articulate. These flowers are bisexual (perfect), with a campanulate to cup-shaped calyx 1.1 to 1.7 cm long, sometimes up to 2.2 cm, either glabrate or densely pubescent. The calyx lobes, typically 5 in number, may remain joined in twos or threes and are reflexed and valvate in bud. The corolla is actinomorphic (radially symmetric) to moderately zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetric), rotate to reflexed, consisting of 5 obovate petals, maroon grading to yellow at the base, unguiculate and emarginate, 1.5 to 2.5 cm long, convolute in bud. The stamens are numerous and monadelphous, forming a yellowish staminal column that is exserted, 2 to 2.8 cm long, with conspicuously antheriferous apical parts; filaments spread 2 to 3.5 mm long; anthers are monothecal. The ovary is superior, (1-)3-celled to many-celled, with carpels 5 to numerous, borne in a single whorl or rarely seemingly superposed whorls; ovule placentation is axile, each with 2-9 ovules in a vertical row; style branches are maroon, exceeding the staminal column, with as many branches as carpels; stigmas are terminal and capitate. The fruits are schizocarps, often tardily separating and appearing capsular, pale brown, cylindrical, 8-10 mm long, sometimes up to 13 mm, closely pubescent. Mericarps are typically (6)7-8, oblong, apiculate, or short-spined, with usually smooth lateral walls and loculicidally dehiscent in the upper half. Seeds, 3 per mericarp, are dark brown, reniform, 2–2.8 mm long, covered with striate papillate and striate stellulate pubescence; they may contain endosperm. It is found in dry forests at elevations ranging from 200-520 meters.
Bean-shaped (Reniform): Resembling the shape of a kidney or bean.
Square or Oblong: Angular shape with all sides more or less equal or longer than wide.
Triangular: Three-sided shape, broadest below the middle.
Elliptic: Rounded at both ends. shaped like an ellipse or oval.
Ovate or Obovate: egg-shaped, broader at one end.
Linear: Extremely long and narrow, with sides usually parallel.
Round: Appears circular, with length and width roughly the same.
Cardioid (Heart-Shaped): One edge has a prominent double curve into two lobes.
Cylindrical: A cylinder with parallel sides and a circular cross-section.
Discoid: Resembling a disc or plate with two relatively flat surfaces.
Fusiform: Spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends.
Globose: Spherical.
Lenticular: Resembling a lens with two convex surfaces.
Ovoid: Egg-shaped.
Plano-convex: Having a flat ventral (planar) surface and a curved dorsal (convex) surface.
Polygonal: Having more than three flat faces meeting at angles.
Sectoroid: Resembling a segment of an orange with two relatively flat faces and one curved face.
Subglobose/ellipsoid: Inflated shape but less than spherical.
Trigonous: Having three faces that meet at a distinct angle; triangular in cross-section.
Endangered species (E) are species that are so rare they’re in danger of becoming extinct.
Threatened species (T) are species that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Species of Concern (SOC) are species about which there are some concerns regarding status and threats, but insufficient information is available to list the species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Plant Extinction Prevention (PEP) is a state status for rare plants that focuses its efforts on species that have fewer than 50 remaining wild individuals.
Orthodox seeds (desiccation-tolerant): can be dried to an internal seed moisture of less than 12% water and stored at freezing temperatures.
Intermediate seeds (temperature-sensitive) tend to age faster than orthodox seeds and may have only a 5-year lifespan when stored at -20°C. They are recommended for storage at 5°C.
Recalcitrant seeds (desiccation-sensitive): cannot be stored in a conventional freezer as they cannot survive after drying and/or freezing at -20°C. They are recommended for cryopreservation storage.