Acalypha phleoides

Cavanilles

Anales Hist. Nat. 2: 139. 1800.

Common names: Shrubby copperleaf
Synonyms: Acalypha lindheimeri Müller Arg. A. lindheimeri var. major Pax & K. Hoffmann
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 165. Mentioned on page 164, 166.

Herbs, perennial, 2–5 dm, monoecious. Stems erect, short-pubescent and hirsute. Leaves: petiole 0.2–1 cm; blade rhombic-ovate to ovate, or proximal suborbiculate, 2–6 × 1–3 cm, base acute to rounded, margins serrate to crenate-serrate, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences bisexual, terminal; peduncle 0.3–0.5 (–1) cm, pistillate portion 4–7 × 1.6–2 cm, staminate portion 0.5–3.5 cm; allomorphic pistillate flowers rarely present, replacing all or part of staminate portion of inflorescence. Pistillate bracts (normal flowers) loosely arranged (inflorescence axis visible between bracts), 8–12 × 7–11 mm, abaxial surface sparsely pubescent and stipitate-glandular; lobes (3–) 5–7 (–8), triangular to attenuate, 1/5–1/3 bract length or terminal lobe longer; of allomorphic flowers absent. Pedicels of allomorphic flowers 3–5 mm. Pistillate flowers: pistil 3-carpellate (normal flowers), 2-carpellate (allomorphic flowers); styles multifid or laciniate. Capsules muricate, pubescent; allomorphic fruits obovoid, 2 × 1.5 mm, muricate, pubescent. Seeds 1.5–2 mm, minutely pitted. 2n = 40 (Mexico).


Phenology: Flowering and fruiting spring–fall.
Habitat: Rocky areas, grasslands, oak, pine, or juniper woodlands.
Elevation: 100–2600 m.

Distribution

V12 1097-distribution-map.jpg

Ariz., N.Mex., Tex., Mexico, Central America (Guatemala)

Discussion

Plants from the United States have nearly always been called Acalypha lindheimeri, distinguished from A. phleoides on the basis of leaf shape and bract lobing. Although plants from Texas generally can be distinguished from plants from central Mexico southward, plants from intervening regions in the United States and Mexico include a full range of intermediates (G. A. Levin 1999b).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"elongated" is not a number."connate" is not a number. "distinct" is not a number."longer" is not a number.

... more about "Acalypha phleoides"
stipitate-glandular +  and pubescent +
acute;acuminate +
Geoffrey A. Levin +
Cavanilles +
acute +  and rounded +
rhombic-ovate;ovate +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (?) +  and 1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br /> (?) +
thread-like +
Shrubby copperleaf +
Ariz. +, N.Mex. +, Tex. +, Mexico +  and Central America (Guatemala) +
100–2600 m. +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +
muricate +
obovoid +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (?) +
Rocky areas, grasslands, oak, pine, or juniper woodlands. +
terminal +  and axillary +
drought-deciduous +  and persistent +
triangular;attenuate +
palmate +  and pinnate +
dentate +, serrate +  and entire +
crenate +  and subentire +
serrate to crenate-serrate +
allomorphic +, pistillate +  and staminate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
connate;distinct +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
Flowering and fruiting spring–fall. +
2-carpellate +  and 3-carpellate +
staminate +  and pistillate +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br />) +
1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
Anales Hist. Nat. +
ellipsoid +  and subglobose +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
not petaloid +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
distinct +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
hirsute +  and short-pubescent +
deciduous +  and persistent +
connate +  and distinct +
laciniate +  and multifid +
Acalypha lindheimeri +  and A. lindheimeri var. major +
Acalypha phleoides +
Acalypha +
species +
spikelike +