Acalypha virginica
Acalypha monococca
Virginia copperleaf, Virginia three-seed-Mercury
oneseed Mercury, slender threeseed Mercury
usually erect, sometimes ascending, pubescent and usually hirsute.
erect, pubescent.
petiole 0.3–7 cm;
blade narrowly rhombic to broadly lanceolate, 1–8(–11) × 0.5–3(–4) cm, base acute, margins serrate, apex acute to acuminate.
petiole 0.2–1(–1.2) cm;
blade linear-lanceolate to linear, 1.7–6(–7) × 0.3–1.2 cm, base cuneate, margins usually subentire, sometimes shallowly serrate, apex acute.
bisexual, axillary;
peduncle 0.1–0.6 cm, pistillate portion 0.7–1.5 × 1.3–1.7 cm or pistillate bract solitary, staminate portion 0.3–1(–1.8) cm;
allomorphic pistillate flowers absent.
bisexual, axillary;
peduncle 0.1–0.6 cm, pistillate portion 0.6–1.2 × 0.8–1.5 cm or pistillate bract solitary, staminate portion 0.1–2.5 cm;
allomorphic pistillate flowers absent.
pistil 3-carpellate;
styles multifid or laciniate.
pistil 1-carpellate;
styles multifid or laciniate.
smooth, pubescent.
smooth, pubescent.
(1.2–)1.5–1.6(–1.8) mm, minutely pitted.
1.6–2.4 mm, shallowly pitted.
bracts loosely arranged to crowded (inflorescence axis clearly to scarcely visible between bracts) or solitary, 6–13 × 9–20 mm, abaxial surface hirsute and sometimes stipitate-glandular;
lobes (9–)10–14(–16), triangular, 1/4–1/2 bract length.
bracts loosely arranged to crowded (inflorescence axis clearly to scarcely visible between bracts) or solitary, 8–13 × 11–16 mm, abaxial surface sparsely to densely pubescent, red sessile-glandular, and rarely stipitate-glandular;
lobes (7–)9–13(–17), deltate, 1/10–1/4 bract length.
Acalypha virginica
Acalypha monococca
Acalypha virginica overlaps geographically with A. rhomboidea but is more frequently found in grassy or prairielike habitats. See the discussion of 15. A. rhomboidea for notes on the nomenclatural and taxonomic confusion associated with these species.
Acalypha virginica and A. gracilens can sometimes be difficult to distinguish, especially when young. They can generally be distinguished by the pistillate bracts, which in A. virginica are hirsute and lack red sessile glands abaxially and in A. gracilens are sparsely pubescent and bear some red sessile glands abaxially.
Reports of Acalypha virginica from states other than those listed here are based on misidentifications.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Even when fruits have dehisced, Acalypha monococca is easily distinguished from A. gracilens and all other species in the genus by its curved, needlelike columellae.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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