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false or Indian or prickly mallow, prickly fanpetals, prickly sida

arrowleaf sida, axocatzín, Cuba jute, Cuban jute, escobilla, huinar, rhombus-leaf sida, sida

Habit Subshrubs or herbs, annual or perennial, 0.2–1 m, rarely taller. Subshrubs, 1 m. Stems erect, stellate-puberulent, hairs to 0.1 mm.
Stems

erect, minutely stellate-hairy, hairs to 0.5 mm.

Leaves

stipules free from petiole, 1-veined, subulate, 3–6 mm, 1/2 as long as petiole;

petiole 5–15 mm, usually 1/4–1/2 length of blade, sometimes shorter, minutely stellate-hairy, hairs to 0.5 mm, usually with small spinelike tubercle on stem just below its attachment;

blade ovate, lanceolate, or narrowly oblong, 2–6 cm, smaller apically, 2–5 times longer than wide, base subcordate, margins crenate-serrate to base, apex usually acute, surfaces stellate-tomentulose abaxially, glabrate adaxially.

stipules free from petiole, 1-veined, subulate, 5–6 mm, subequal to petiole;

petiole 5–7 mm, 1/10–1/4 length of blade, stellate-puberulent;

blade ± rhombic, 2.5–9 cm, smaller distally, 2–3(–4) times longer than wide, base usually cuneate, sometimes somewhat truncate to subcordate, margins serrate distally, entire basally, apex acute to subobtuse, surfaces stellate-puberulent or glabrescent adaxially.

Inflorescences

axillary solitary or 2–4 clustered flowers.

axillary solitary flowers.

Pedicels

0.5–1 cm, subequal to calyx and subtending petiole.

slender, (1–)3–4 cm, 4–6 times length of calyx, much shorter than to ± equaling subtending leaf, at least distalmost.

Flowers

calyx angulate, 5–7 mm, minutely tomentose, lobes triangular;

petals yellow, rarely white, 5 mm;

staminal column glabrous;

style 5-branched.

calyx ribbed, 5–6 mm, puberulent, lobes ovate;

petals yellow, 7–9 mm;

staminal column hairy;

style 10–14-branched.

Schizocarps

subconic, 4–5 mm diam., hairy;

mericarps 5, 3–4 mm, somewhat rugose, apex spined, spines 1 mm, antrorsely hairy.

subconic, 4–5 mm diam., glabrous;

mericarps 10–14, 3–4 mm, laterally reticulate, apex muticous to spined, sometimes 1-spined through failure of dehiscence, glabrous.

2n

= 14, 28.

= 14, 28.

Sida spinosa

Sida rhombifolia

Phenology Flowering year-round in warmer areas, summer elsewhere. Flowering year-round in warmer localities.
Habitat Roadsides, pastures, disturbed ground Disturbed sites, roadsides, pastures, urban areas
Elevation 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft) 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; DC; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; MI; MO; MS; NC; NE; NJ; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV; ON; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; KS; LA; MS; NC; OK; SC; TX; VA; s Asia (China) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, tropical Africa, Pacific Islands (Philippines, Polynesia), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

A small spur sometimes is present on the abaxial side of the petiole at the juncture with the stem, to which the specific epithet refers. It is not a spine and occasionally is absent.

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

Sida rhombifolia is found occasionally on ballast in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It is a common weed in warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical areas; its genetic diversity seems to indicate that it was introduced from the Old World. The species has been cultivated for medicinal and cordage use.

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

Source FNA vol. 6, p. 318. FNA vol. 6, p. 317.
Parent taxa Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Sida Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Sida
Sibling 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. tragiifolia, S. ulmifolia, S. urens
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. rubromarginata, S. santaremensis, S. spinosa, S. tragiifolia, S. ulmifolia, S. urens
Synonyms S. alba, S. alnifolia, S. angustifolia, S. heterocarpa S. hondensis, S. rhomboidea
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 683. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 684. (1753)
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