Flora of North America species comparison

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Acalypha alopecuroidea

Acalypha deamii

foxtail copperleaf

Deam's threeseed Mercury, largeseed Mercury
Habit Herbs, annual, 2–6 dm, monoecious. Herbs, annual, 3–7 dm, monoecious.
Stems

erect, short-pubescent and stipitate-glandular.

erect, glabrate.
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.

petiole 2.5–7 cm;

blade ovate to broadly rhombic, 4–12 × 2–7 cm, base obtuse, margins serrate, apex acute to 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.

bisexual, axillary;

peduncle 0.1–0.6 cm, pistillate portion 0.8–1.5 × 1–2 cm or pistillate bract solitary, staminate portion 0.3–0.7 cm;

allomorphic pistillate flowers common, solitary in axils near base of stem.
Pedicels

of allomorphic flowers 5–15 mm.

of allomorphic flowers rudimentary.
Pistillate flowers

pistil 3-carpellate (normal flowers), 1(–2)-carpellate (allomorphic flowers);

styles unbranched or rarely 2-fid.

pistil 2-carpellate (normal flowers), 1-carpellate (allomorphic flowers);

styles multifid or laciniate.
Capsules

smooth, pubescent and stipitate-glandular or glabrate;

allomorphic fruits obovoid, 1–1.5 × 0.9–1.2 mm, muricate, hirsute.

smooth, pubescent;

allomorphic fruits obovoid, 2.5–3 × 1.8–2 mm, spiny, pubescent.
Seeds

1–1.1 mm, minutely pitted.

2.4–3.2 mm, shallowly 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.

bracts (normal flowers) loosely arranged to crowded (inflorescence axis clearly to scarcely visible between bracts) or solitary, 8–16 × 11–20 mm, abaxial surface sparsely pubescent and usually stipitate-glandular;

lobes (5–)7–9, lanceolate to narrowly oblong, 1/2–3/4 bract length; of allomorphic flowers absent.

Acalypha alopecuroidea

Acalypha deamii
Phenology Flowering and fruiting late summer–fall. Flowering and fruiting late summer–fall.
Habitat Disturbed areas. Moist bottomland woods, near streams or rivers, rarely in moist upland forests.
Elevation 0–40 m. (0–100 ft.) 100–400 m. (300–1300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; LA; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; n South America [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; MD; MO; OH; PA; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Acalypha deamii strongly resembles robust individuals of A. rhomboidea but is generally restricted to moist bottomland woods. Some accounts state that the leaves of A. deamii droop; this characteristic is not consistent and cannot be used for identification.

The distribution of Acalypha deamii is probably not as patchy as collections suggest. It is frequently overlooked because it looks so much like the widespread and abundant A. rhomboidea and is difficult to recognize until fruits mature. Collections may also be limited because A. deamii shares its habitat with stinging nettles.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 167. FNA vol. 12, p. 170.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Acalypha Euphorbiaceae > Acalypha
Sibling taxa
A. arvensis, A. australis, A. californica, A. chamaedrifolia, A. deamii, A. gracilens, A. monococca, A. monostachya, A. neomexicana, A. ostryifolia, A. phleoides, A. poiretii, A. radians, A. rhomboidea, A. setosa, A. virginica, A. wilkesiana
A. alopecuroidea, A. arvensis, A. australis, A. californica, A. chamaedrifolia, A. gracilens, A. monococca, A. monostachya, A. neomexicana, A. ostryifolia, A. phleoides, A. poiretii, A. radians, A. rhomboidea, A. setosa, A. virginica, A. wilkesiana
Synonyms A. virginica var. deamii, A. rhomboidea var. deamii
Name authority Jacquin: Collectanea 3: 196. (1791) (Weatherby) H. E. Ahles: in G. N. Jones and G. D. Fuller, Vasc. Pl. Illinois, 301. (1955)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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