Finke Gorge National Park

FloraCommon Reed Ghost Gum Desert Lantern Flower MacDonnell Ranges Cycad Narrow-leaved Cumbungi Native Fig Orange Spade Flower Red Cabbage Palm Soft Spinifex White Cypress Pine White Indigo

With the common name of Desert Lantern Flower (Abutilon leucopetalum), this native plant is found growing in Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.

Known to flower all year round, this plant can grow up to 1 metre or more, and is covered with a dense velvety stellate tomentum (stellate describes the star-shaped hairs and tomentum describes the densely matted, soft white wool).

Desert Lantern Flower (Abutilon leucopetalum), Finke Gorge National Park

The leaf shape is described as soft and thick, crenate (having a round-toothed or scalloped edge), cordate (refers to a heart-shaped leaf), orbicular (the overall shape is rounded), ovate or ovate-lanceolate (the leaf is wider at the base than at the midpoint, tapers toward the apex), occasionally acuminate (a leaf narrowing to a slender point), measuring 2-8 cm long.

Desert Lantern Flower (Abutilon leucopetalum), Finke Gorge National Park
Desert Lantern Flower (Abutilon leucopetalum), Finke Gorge National Park

Common name
Desert Lantern Flower, Desert Chinese Lantern, Lantern-Bush, Desert Chinese-Lantern.


  • Scientific Classification
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Phylum: Charophyta
  • Class: Equisetopsida
  • Subclass: Magnoliidae
  • Superorder: Rosanae
  • Order: Malvales
  • Family: Malvaceae
  • Genus: Abutilon
  • Species: Abutilon leucopetalum

FloraCommon Reed Ghost Gum Desert Lantern Flower MacDonnell Ranges Cycad Narrow-leaved Cumbungi Native Fig Orange Spade Flower Red Cabbage Palm Soft Spinifex White Cypress Pine White Indigo

Finke Gorge National ParkCamping & Picnic Area Boggy Hole Palm Valley Fauna Flora