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Sida acuta Burm.f.
| Family Name: | Malvaceae |
| Synonyms: | Sida carpinifolia L. f. |
| Common Name: | Common Wireweed, Teaweed, Ironweed, Southern Side |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 1 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Tropical America |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Perennial shrub with erect growth habit, growing up to 0.9 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are lanceolate with toothed leaf margin (2-9 cm long). They are smooth or have only a few hairs. The petiole (3-7 mm long) has 2 stipules of unequal size at the base. |
| Flowers | Light yellow, star-shaped flowers (6-10 mm long) are composed of 5 petals with irregularly notched tips and fused bases. Flowers usually occur singly, but sometimes in pairs or triplets, in the leaf axils. |
| Fruit | Fruits are composed of 5-8 mericarps (one-seeded fruitlets) which are red-brown to black with a pitted surface. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Others: This species is good forage for wildlife, because the leaves are rich in proteins and nutrients, like calcium and phosphorous. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscape Uses | General, Parks & Gardens |
|---|
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Biotic (Fauna) |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Little Water |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Drought Tolerant |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Foliar Modification | Stipule |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Serrate / Toothed |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acute |
| Foliar Base | Acute, Rounded / Obtuse |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Yellow / Golden |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Solitary |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Individual Flower Shape | Stellate / Star-shaped |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Black |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Aggregate Fruit (Syncarp) |
| Fruit Type | Indehiscent Dry Fruit |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Moderate (6-10) |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 31522 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 5919 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
