Flora of North America species comparison

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Acalypha phleoides

Acalypha arvensis

shrubby copperleaf

field copperleaf
Habit Herbs, perennial, 2–5 dm, monoecious. Herbs, annual, 2–8 dm, monoecious.
Stems

erect, short-pubescent and hirsute.

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

petiole 0.2–1 cm;

blade rhombic-ovate to ovate, or proximal suborbiculate, 2–6 × 1–3 cm, base acute to rounded, margins serrate to crenate-serrate, apex acute to acuminate.

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

bisexual, terminal;

peduncle 0.3–0.5(–1) cm, pistillate portion 4–7 × 1.6–2 cm, staminate portion 0.5–3.5 cm;

allomorphic pistillate flowers rarely present, replacing all or part of staminate portion of inflorescence.

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 3–5 mm.

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), 2-carpellate (allomorphic flowers);

styles multifid or laciniate.

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

styles multifid or laciniate.
Capsules

muricate, pubescent;

allomorphic fruits obovoid, 2 × 1.5 mm, muricate, pubescent.

smooth, hispidulous;

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

1.5–2 mm, minutely pitted.

1.1–1.5 mm, minutely pitted.
Pistillate

bracts (normal flowers) loosely arranged (inflorescence axis visible between bracts), 8–12 × 7–11 mm, abaxial surface sparsely pubescent and stipitate-glandular;

lobes (3–)5–7(–8), triangular to attenuate, 1/5–1/3 bract length or terminal lobe longer; of allomorphic flowers absent.

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.
2n

= 40 (Mexico).

Acalypha phleoides

Acalypha arvensis
Phenology Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. Flowering and fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat Rocky areas, grasslands, oak, pine, or juniper woodlands. Disturbed areas.
Elevation 100–2600 m. (300–8500 ft.) 10–50 m. (0–200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico; Central America (Guatemala)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; n South America; c South America [Introduced in North America]
Discussion

Plants from the United States have nearly always been called Acalypha lindheimeri, distinguished from A. phleoides on the basis of leaf shape and bract lobing. Although plants from Texas generally can be distinguished from plants from central Mexico southward, plants from intervening regions in the United States and Mexico include a full range of intermediates (G. A. Levin 1999b).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

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. 165. FNA vol. 12, p. 167.
Parent taxa Euphorbiaceae > Acalypha Euphorbiaceae > Acalypha
Sibling taxa
A. alopecuroidea, A. arvensis, A. australis, A. californica, A. chamaedrifolia, A. deamii, A. gracilens, A. monococca, A. monostachya, A. neomexicana, A. ostryifolia, A. poiretii, A. radians, A. rhomboidea, A. setosa, A. virginica, A. wilkesiana
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
Synonyms A. lindheimeri, A. lindheimeri var. major
Name authority Cavanilles: Anales Hist. Nat. 2: 139. (1800) 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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