Abutilon sandwicense, a member of the mallow family (Malvaceae) and a short-lived perennial, is a shrub that grows to 3 m (10 ft) tall and is covered with short glandular hairs. Leaves are light green, heart-shaped and 8 to 22 cm (3 to 9 in) long. A single pendulous flower grows from the leaf axil (the point between the leaf and the stem). The flowers have pale greenish yellow, hairy, glandular sepals and bright green often reddish-brown tipped petals up to 5 cm (2 in) long. A greenish yellow staminal column with about 350 stamens near its tip protrudes from the flower. The fruit is a capsule up to 2.5 cm (1 in) long, which breaks into 8 to 10 parts each enclosing 3 or more seeds. Seeds are brown, up to 3 mm (1 in) long, and slightly hairy.