Acalypha setosa |
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Cuban copperleaf |
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Habit | Herbs, annual, 3–5 dm, monoecious. |
Stems | erect, sparsely pubescent. |
Leaves | petiole 1–7 cm; blade ovate, 2.5–10 × 1.5–8 cm, base broadly obtuse to rounded or truncate, margins serrate, apex acuminate. |
Inflorescences | unisexual, axillary (staminate) and terminal (pistillate; sometimes on short lateral branches, appearing axillary); staminate peduncle 0.5–0.7 cm, fertile portion 0.5–1.5 cm; pistillate peduncle 0.1–0.5 cm, fertile portion 3–12 × 0.7–1 cm; allomorphic pistillate flowers common, near apices of pistillate inflorescences and mixed with flowers in staminate inflorescences. |
Pedicels | of allomorphic flowers rudimentary. |
Pistillate flowers | pistil 3-carpellate (normal flowers), 1(–3)-carpellate (allomorphic flowers); styles multifid or laciniate. |
Capsules | smooth, sparsely pubescent; allomorphic fruits oblate ellipsoidal, longitudinally ridged, an irregular flange on each side, 1.4–1.7 × 1.5–2 mm, smooth, puberulent. |
Seeds | 1.2–1.4 mm, minutely pitted. |
Pistillate | bracts (normal flowers) loosely arranged (inflorescence axis visible between bracts), 5–7 × 3–4 mm, abaxial surface glabrous; lobes 7–9(–13), linear, nearly bract length, muricate; of allomorphic flowers on pistillate inflorescences like those of normal flowers, on staminate inflorescences absent. |
Acalypha setosa |
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Phenology | Flowering and fruiting summer–fall. |
Habitat | Disturbed areas. |
Elevation | 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; SC; c Mexico; s Mexico; Central America; West Indies; n South America [Introduced in North America]
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Discussion | Acalypha setosa, indigenous from Mexico to northern South America and the West Indies, was first introduced to the United States in the late 1800s and now occurs sporadically through the southeastern states. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 168. |
Parent taxa | |
Sibling taxa | |
Name authority | A. Richard: in R. Sagra, Hist. Fis. Cuba 11: 204. (1850) |
Web links |