Acalypha alopecuroidea |
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foxtail copperleaf |
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Habit | Herbs, annual, 2–6 dm, monoecious. |
Stems | erect, short-pubescent and stipitate-glandular. |
Leaves | petiole 0.5–7 cm, stipitate-glandular; blade ovate to broadly ovate, 2–8 × 1.5–5 cm, base rounded or subcordate, margins serrate, apex acuminate. |
Inflorescences | unisexual, axillary (staminate) and terminal (pistillate); staminate peduncle 0.1–0.6 cm, stipitate-glandular, fertile portion 0.2–0.8 cm; pistillate peduncle 0.2–1 cm, stipitate-glandular, fertile portion 2–6 × 0.8–1.5 cm; allomorphic pistillate flowers common, terminal on pistillate or, rarely, staminate inflorescences. |
Pedicels | of allomorphic flowers 5–15 mm. |
Pistillate flowers | pistil 3-carpellate (normal flowers), 1(–2)-carpellate (allomorphic flowers); styles unbranched or rarely 2-fid. |
Capsules | smooth, pubescent and stipitate-glandular or glabrate; allomorphic fruits obovoid, 1–1.5 × 0.9–1.2 mm, muricate, hirsute. |
Seeds | 1–1.1 mm, minutely pitted. |
Pistillate | bracts (normal flowers) crowded (inflorescence axis not visible between bracts), 8–12 × 3–4 mm, abaxial surface long-hirsute (hairs to 2 mm) and stipitate-glandular; lobes 3–5, proximally deltate with linear tips, 3/4 bract length, smooth; of allomorphic flowers absent. |
Acalypha alopecuroidea |
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Phenology | Flowering and fruiting late summer–fall. |
Habitat | Disturbed areas. |
Elevation | 0–40 m. (0–100 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; FL; LA; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; n South America [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | Acalypha alopecuroidea has been established in the United States since at least the 1950s. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 167. |
Parent taxa | |
Sibling taxa | |
Name authority | Jacquin: Collectanea 3: 196. (1791) |
Web links |