Acalypha setosa
Acalypha ostryifolia
Cuban copperleaf
hophornbeam copperleaf, pineland threeseed Mercury
erect, sparsely pubescent.
erect, pubescent, sparsely hirsute, and stipitate-glandular.
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 1.5–6.5 cm;
blade ovate, 3–8 × 1.5–5 cm, base cordate, margins serrate, apex acute to short acuminate.
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, axillary (staminate) and terminal (pistillate; sometimes on short lateral branches, appearing axillary);
staminate peduncle 0.5–1.5 cm, fertile portion 0.5–3.5 cm;
pistillate peduncle 0.1–1 cm, fertile portion 3–7 × 0.7–1 cm;
allomorphic pistillate flowers common, near apices of pistillate inflorescences.
of allomorphic flowers rudimentary.
of allomorphic flowers rudimentary.
pistil 3-carpellate (normal flowers), 1(–3)-carpellate (allomorphic flowers);
styles multifid or laciniate.
pistil 3-carpellate (normal flowers), 1(–3)-carpellate (allomorphic flowers);
styles multifid or laciniate.
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.
spiny, pubescent;
allomorphic fruits obovoid, 2 irregular flanges near apex, 2–2.2 × 1.6–1.8 mm, smooth, pubescent.
1.2–1.4 mm, minutely pitted.
1.6–2 mm, tuberculate.
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 and allomorphic flowers) loosely arranged (inflorescence axis visible between bracts), 3–6 × 6–8 mm, abaxial surface pubescent (hairs to 0.3 mm) and sparsely stipitate-glandular;
lobes (9–)13–17, linear, 2/3 bract length, muricate.
Acalypha setosa
Acalypha ostryifolia
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.)
J. Torrey [in W. H. Emory 1857–1859, vol. 2(1)] reported Acalypha ostryifolia (as A. caroliniana Elliott) from New Mexico on the basis of Bigelow s.n., collected near "the Copper Mines" in Grant County. Although no specimen has been located by the author and this is the only report of this species from New Mexico, it is to be expected in the southwestern part of the state. It was collected in the late nineteenth century in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but has not been collected there since.
Acalypha ostryifolia may not be native to the northern part of its range. Specimen collection dates suggest that the species is spreading northward, and in much of its range it is found primarily in areas with human disturbance.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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