Flora of North America species comparison

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Acalypha setosa

Acalypha arvensis

Cuban copperleaf

field copperleaf
Habit Herbs, annual, 3–5 dm, monoecious. Herbs, annual, 2–8 dm, monoecious.
Stems

erect, sparsely pubescent.

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

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, 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.

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.

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(–3)-carpellate (allomorphic flowers);

styles multifid or laciniate.

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

smooth, hispidulous;

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

1.2–1.4 mm, minutely pitted.

1.1–1.5 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.

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 setosa

Acalypha arvensis
Phenology Flowering and fruiting summer–fall. Flowering and fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat Disturbed areas. Disturbed areas.
Elevation 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.) 10–50 m. (0–200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; SC; c Mexico; s Mexico; Central America; West Indies; n South America [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; n South America; c South America [Introduced in North America]
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.)

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. 168. 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. phleoides, A. poiretii, A. radians, A. rhomboidea, 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
Name authority A. Richard: in R. Sagra, Hist. Fis. Cuba 11: 204. (1850) Poeppig: in E. F. Poeppig and S. L. Endlicher, Nov. Gen. Sp. Pl. 3: 21. (1841)
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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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