Sida cordifolia
Sida urens
bala, country mallow, flannel weed, great-leaf sida, heart-leaf sida, ilima
bristly sida, tropical fanpetals
erect, stellate-tomentose.
erect or reclining, with simple 1.5–3 mm hairs mixed with shorter stellate hairs, rarely only stellate-hairy.
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.
stipules free from petiole, 1-veined, subulate, 2–5 mm;
petiole 10–30 mm, 1/4–1/2 (to nearly equaling) blade length, pubescence like stem;
blade ovate to triangular, 4–9 cm, 1.5–2 times longer than wide, base cordate, margins crenate-serrate or coarsely serrate to base, apex acuminate or attenuate, surfaces sparsely pubescent, abaxial surface stellate-pubescent, adaxial surface stellate-pubescent or with simple, often antrorsely-oriented hairs.
axillary, usually subsessile, crowded panicles or corymbs, sometimes solitary flowers.
axillary, dense, subsessile, 3–8- glabrous or nearly so;
mericarps 5, 3 × 1.5 mm, laterally faintly striate to smooth, apex muticous.
0.2–0.4 cm, enlarging slightly in fruit, shorter than calyx.
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.
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).
= 28.
= 32.
Sida cordifolia
Sida urens
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.)
Sida urens was found only recently (2008) in Broward County. The species is easily distinguished by its long-acuminate beaked flower buds, setose calyx, cordate-acuminate leaves, and tendency to have long, reclining stems. It is rather common in tropical regions.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
