Sida glabra

Subshrubs, 0.4–1.2 m. Stems erect to often reclining, glandular-puberulent, viscid and with simple 1–2 mm hairs. Leaves: stipules free from petiole, 1-veined, subulate, 1–3 mm, shorter than petiole; petiole 8–30 mm, 1/4–1/2 times length of blade, glandular-puberulent and with simple 1–2 mm hairs; blade ovate, 3–6 cm, 1.5–2 times longer than wide, base cordate, margins serrate-crenate or dentate to base, apex acute, surfaces sparsely stellate-hairy. Inflorescences axillary solitary flowers and 2–4-flowered fascicles, sometimes appearing paniculate. Pedicels jointed 2–5 mm below calyx, slender, 1–2 cm, longer than calyx. Flowers: calyx angulate, 4–5 mm, not beaked in bud, with both stellate and glandular hairs, lobes triangular, acute to short-acuminate; petals white or yellow-orange, 5–6 mm; staminal column hairy; style 5-branched. Schizocarps subconic, 4–5 mm diam., puberulent; mericarps 5, 2.5 mm, dorsally reticulate, apex spined, spines 1–2 mm, minutely antrorsely hairy. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering spring–fall.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, often in shade, urban weed
Elevation: 100 m

Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, n South America.

Discussion

Sida glabra is apparently a casual introduction to Miami-Dade County. The later homonym S. glabra Nuttall from 1834 is a synonym of S. rhombifolia.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa