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bala, country mallow, flannel weed, great-leaf sida, heart-leaf sida, ilima

fanpetals, wireweed

Habit Subshrubs or shrubs, to 1.5 m. Herbs, annual or perennial, subshrubs, or shrubs.
Stems

erect, stellate-tomentose.

erect, ascending, or reclining to procumbent, glabrous or hairy, sometimes viscid (S. glabra).

Leaves

stipules free from petiole, 1-veined, linear, 5–8 mm, shorter than petiole;

petiole 10–25 mm, to 1/2 length of blade, stellate-tomentose;

blade broadly cordate to ovate-lanceolate, to 6 cm, reduced distally, 1–2 times longer than wide, base cordate, margins dentate to base, apex acute, surfaces softly velvety-tomentose.

spirally arranged (distichous in S. planicaulis and S. ulmifolia), petiolate or subsessile;

stipules persistent, usually linear to lanceolate or falcate;

blade usually unlobed (lobed with maplelike leaves in S. hermaphrodita), base cuneate, cordate, subcordate, truncate, or rounded, margins crenate, dentate, serrate, or entire.

Inflorescences

axillary, usually subsessile, crowded panicles or corymbs, sometimes solitary flowers.

axillary solitary (sometimes paired or clustered) often plicate in bud, usually 1/2 divided, often 10-ribbed at base (unribbed in S. hermaphrodita) or angulate, lobes acute or acuminate to triangular or ovate;

corolla white, cream, yellow, yellow-orange, salmon-pink, red-orange, or reddish [purplish], sometimes with dark-red center;

staminal column included;

style 5–14-branched;

stigmas capitate.

Pedicels

0.2–0.4 cm, enlarging slightly in fruit, shorter than calyx.

Flowers

calyx prominently ribbed, 6–7 mm, densely stellate-tomentose, lobes ovate;

petals yellow-orange, often with darker reddish base, 8–11 mm;

staminal column hairy;

style 8–14-branched.

Fruits

developed or muticous, reticulate, glabrous or hairy, lateral walls usually persistent, indehiscent below with well-differentiated dorsal wall, indehiscent or partially dehiscent apically.

Seeds

1 per mericarp, glabrous.

Schizocarps

oblate-conic, 6–7 mm diam., apically hairy;

mericarps 8–14, 4–5 mm, dorsally smooth, apex spined, spines to 2 mm, retrorsely barbed (variably developed, rarely suppressed).

x

= 7, 8.

2n

= 28.

Sida cordifolia

Sida

Phenology Flowering year-round.
Habitat Disturbed sites, savannas, open shrublands, pinelands
Elevation 0–300 m (0–1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; TX; Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Africa, Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
North America; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies; Asia; Africa; Australia; warm-temperate and tropical areas
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

A velvety-tomentose herb sometimes used in herbal medicines, Sida cordifolia is believed to have originated in India, but has been widely spread in warmer regions globally. In many areas it is considered to be an invasive weed. There is considerable variation in the flower color patterns; the velvety-tomentose indument and retrorsely barbed, relatively large or conspicuous spines can help in identification.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Species ca. 150 (19 in the flora).

In the flora area, Sida linifolia Cavanilles, flax-leaved sida, is known from a single collection (Alabama, Mobile, introduced from West Indies on ballast, Sep 1886, Mohr s.n., F) and treated here as a waif; it is distinguished from other sidas in North America by its entire leaf margins. Sida cordata (Burman f.) Borssum Waalkes has been reported in Maryland (Baltimore City); it is a generally prostrate herb with cordate leaves and filiform pedicels that are nearly the same length as the leaves; no vouchers have been found; if it was present, it can be regarded as a waif. Reports of S. aggregata K. Presl, a variable and rather common Neotropical species, have not been verified; no vouchers have been located. Sida acuta Burman f. and S. carpinifolia Linnaeus f. are names often used for ballast specimens of plants found in temperate seaports that have not persisted.

Most sidas have apical spines on the fruits that adhere to fur, wool, and clothing, and therefore it may be difficult to pinpoint their native ranges versus the areas to which they have been introduced. Some are considered to be pan-tropical roadside weeds.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Leaf blades palmately 5–7-lobed, maplelike, to 24 cm; calyces not ribbed or angled.
S. hermaphrodita
1. Leaf blades unlobed, 1–9 cm; calyces ribbed or angled
→ 2
2. Stems procumbent
→ 3
2. Stems erect, sometimes ascending to reclining but not procumbent
→ 4
3. Petals white; leaves distributed evenly along stems, blade margins crenate to base; stems usually with 1–2 mm simple hairs in addition to multirayed stellate hairs; mericarps slightly rugose.
S. abutilifolia
3. Petals salmon-pink, red-orange, or yellowish; leaves crowded distally on stems, blade margins dentate only at apex; stems with appressed, normally 4-rayed stellate hairs; mericarps prominently muricate.
S. ciliaris
4. Styles 5-branched; mericarps 5; leaf blades cordate or subcordate at base
→ 5
4. Styles 7–14-branched; mericarps 7–14; leaf blades usually cuneate or truncate at base, sometimes rounded or subcordate to cordate
→ 7
5. Stems and petioles minutely stellate-hairy, hairs to 0.5 mm; petioles usually with small spinelike tubercle on stem just below its attachment.
S. spinosa
5. Stems and petioles glandular-viscid and/or with simple hairs 1–3 mm; petioles without spinelike tubercle just below attachment to stem
→ 6
6. Stems usually glandular-viscid; petals white or yellow-orange without darker base, not fading rose-pink; calyces usually glandular, not setose, lobes triangular, acute to short-acuminate (not beaked in bud).
S. glabra
6. Stems not glandular-viscid; petals yellowish to orange or salmon usually with dark orange or reddish base, fading rose-pink; calyces setose, not glandular, lobes trullate, attenuate-aristate (beaked in bud).
S. urens
7. Leaves and branches distichous
→ 8
7. Leaves spirally arranged
→ 9
8. Mericarps 7 or 8, spines 2 mm; inflorescences usually axillary glomerules, sometimes flowers solitary or paired; calyces 5–6 mm; staminal columns glabrous.
S. planicaulis
8. Mericarps 8–12, spines 0.5–1 mm; inflorescences axillary, flowers solitary or paired; calyces 6–8 mm; staminal columns hairy, sometimes glabrous.
S. ulmifolia
9. Leaf blades ± ovate or ovate-oblong with broadly cordate base, infrequently ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate; petioles (5–)10–25 mm
→ 10
9. Leaf blades rhombic to subrhombic or elliptic to oblong, sometimes oblong-lanceolate, lanceolate-elliptic, round, lanceolate, or linear; petioles 2–10(–40) mm
→ 11
10. Leaf blades velvety-tomentose, 1–2 times longer than wide; calyces prominently ribbed, densely stellate-tomentose; inflorescences axillary, usually corymbs or panicles, sometimes solitary flowers; fruits 6–7 mm diam.; mericarp spines to 2 mm; Alabama, Florida, Texas.
S. cordifolia
10. Leaf blades not velvety, usually 5+ times as long as wide; calyces obscurely ribbed, stellate-hairy and with long simple hairs; inflorescences axillary solitary flowers; fruits 5–6 mm diam.; mericarp spines to 1 mm; Texas.
S. tragiifolia
11. Leaf blade margins usually entire basally, distally dentate or serrate
→ 12
11. Leaf blade margins crenulate-serrate to dentate to base
→ 14
12. Pedicels 0.4–1.2 cm; leaf blades lanceolate-elliptic to round, 1.5–5 cm.
S. antillensis
12. Pedicels 0.5–4(–16) cm; leaf blades rhombic, subrhombic, or elliptic, 2.5–9 cm
→ 13
13. Petals yellow; stem hairs to 0.1 mm; pedicels (1–)3–4 cm.
S. rhombifolia
13. Petals cream or pale yellow with reddish spot at base; stem hairs to 0.5 mm; pedicels to 2 cm.
S. santaremensis
14. Pedicels 8–12(–16) cm.
S. longipes
14. Pedicels 0.5–6 cm
→ 15
15. Leaf blades narrowly oblong-lanceolate or elliptic to linear, 4–20 times as long as wide
→ 16
15. Leaf blades narrowly lanceolate or elliptic to subrhombic, 2.5–10 times as long as wide
→ 17
16. Plants usually little-branched from base; flowers little, if at all, apically congested; petals yellow-orange.
S. elliottii
16. Plants freely branching from base; flowers apically congested; petals yellow-orange to reddish, sometimes drying lavender.
S. neomexicana
17. Pedicels 2–6 cm, sometimes equaling subtending leaf; mericarps 8–10.
S. lindheimeri
17. Pedicels 0.5–3 cm, shorter than subtending leaf; mericarps 9–12
→ 18
18. Pedicels unarticulated; stipules subequal to corresponding petioles.
S. littoralis
18. Pedicels articulated; stipules 2 times length of corresponding petioles.
S. rubromarginata
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 313. FNA vol. 6, p. 310. Authors: Paul A. Fryxell†, Steven R. Hill.
Parent taxa Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Sida Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae
Sibling taxa
S. abutilifolia, S. antillensis, S. ciliaris, S. elliottii, S. glabra, S. hermaphrodita, S. lindheimeri, S. littoralis, S. longipes, S. neomexicana, S. planicaulis, S. rhombifolia, S. rubromarginata, S. santaremensis, S. spinosa, S. tragiifolia, S. ulmifolia, S. urens
Subordinate taxa
S. abutilifolia, S. antillensis, S. ciliaris, S. cordifolia, S. elliottii, S. glabra, S. hermaphrodita, S. lindheimeri, S. littoralis, S. longipes, S. neomexicana, S. planicaulis, S. rhombifolia, S. rubromarginata, S. santaremensis, S. spinosa, S. tragiifolia, S. ulmifolia, S. urens
Synonyms S. althaeifolia, S. pellita Dictyocarpus, Malvinda, Pseudomalachra
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 684. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 683. (1753): Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 306. (1754)
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