Flora of North America species comparison

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Acalypha arvensis

field copperleaf
Habit Herbs, annual, 2–8 dm, monoecious.
Stems

erect to ascending, short-pubescent and densely [sparsely] hirsute.
Leaves

petiole 0.5–4 cm, not stipitate-glandular;

blade rhombic-ovate to rhombic-lanceolate, 2–9(–12) × 1.2–5(–6.5) cm, base cuneate to rounded, margins serrate, apex obtuse to acute.
Inflorescences

unisexual or bisexual, axillary;

staminate peduncle 0.3–2.5 cm, not stipitate-glandular, fertile portion 1.5–3[–6] cm;

pistillate peduncle 0.4–3 cm, not stipitate-glandular, fertile portion 2.5–4[–8] × 1–2 cm;

bisexual similar to pistillate, with staminate portion 0.4–0.7 cm;

allomorphic pistillate flowers common, terminal on pistillate and bisexual inflorescences.
Pedicels

of allomorphic flowers rudimentary if borne above staminate flowers or 10–18 mm if borne above normal pistillate flowers.
Pistillate flowers

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

styles multifid or laciniate.
Capsules

smooth, hispidulous;

allomorphic fruits ovoid, 1.5–1.6 × 1.2–1.3 mm, muricate, sparsely to densely puberulent.
Seeds

1.1–1.5 mm, minutely pitted.
Pistillate

bracts (normal flowers) very densely crowded (inflorescence axis not visible between bracts), 6–12 × 4–6 mm, abaxial surface long-hirsute (hairs to 2 mm) and stipitate-glandular;

lobes 3–7, proximally deltate with linear tips, 1/2–2/3 bract length, smooth; of allomorphic flowers absent.

Acalypha arvensis
Phenology Flowering and fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat Disturbed areas.
Elevation 10–50 m. (0–200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; n South America; c South America [Introduced in North America]
Discussion

Acalypha arvensis became established in the United States in the 1980s and is now known from scattered localities throughout peninsular Florida. Some recent literature misapplies A. aristata Kunth to this species, but that name is a synonym of A. alopecuroidea.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 167.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Acalypha
Sibling taxa
A. alopecuroidea, 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
Name authority Poeppig: in E. F. Poeppig and S. L. Endlicher, Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. 3: 21. (1841)
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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