Flora of North America species comparison

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Acalypha phleoides

Acalypha chamaedrifolia

shrubby copperleaf

bastard copperleaf, Everglades copperleaf
Habit Herbs, perennial, 2–5 dm, monoecious. Herbs, perennial, 1–2.5 dm, monoecious.
Stems

erect, short-pubescent and hirsute.

prostrate to ascending, pubescent.
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 0.1–0.5 cm;

blade ovate to orbiculate, 0.3–2.1 × 0.3–1.2 cm, base cordate or rounded, margins serrate-crenate, apex obtuse or 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.

bisexual, terminal;

peduncle 0.2–1 cm, pistillate portion 1.5–3 × 1–1.5 cm, staminate portion 0.8–2.5 cm;

allomorphic pistillate flowers absent.
Pedicels

of allomorphic flowers 3–5 mm.

Pistillate flowers

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

styles multifid or laciniate.

pistil 3-carpellate;

styles multifid or laciniate.
Capsules

muricate, pubescent;

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

smooth, pubescent.
Seeds

1.5–2 mm, minutely pitted.

1.2–1.4 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 crowded (inflorescence axis not or sparingly visible between bracts), 4–6 × 7–10 mm, abaxial surface pubescent and sessile-glandular;

lobes (7–)10–13, deltate to triangular, 1/5 bract length.
2n

= 40 (Mexico).

Acalypha phleoides

Acalypha chamaedrifolia
Phenology Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. Flowering and fruiting year-round, mainly spring–fall.
Habitat Rocky areas, grasslands, oak, pine, or juniper woodlands. Rocky pine woods, disturbed areas.
Elevation 100–2600 m. (300–8500 ft.) 0–10 m. (0–0 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; Mexico; Central America (Guatemala)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; West Indies
[BONAP county map]
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.)

In the flora area, Acalypa chamaedrifolia is native to Miami-Dade and Monroe counties but has been sparingly, and apparently accidentally, introduced farther north.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 165. FNA vol. 12, p. 166.
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. arvensis, A. australis, A. californica, 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 Croton chamaedryfolius
Name authority Cavanilles: Anales Hist. Nat. 2: 139. (1800) (Lamarck) Müller Arg.: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 15(2): 879. (1866)
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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