Sida abutilifolia Miller (1768

Brandão, José Lourenço, Baracho, George Sidney, Sales, Margareth Ferreira De & Filho, Marcelo Paulino Viegas, 2017, Synopsis of Sida (Malvaceae, Malvoideae, Malveae) in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, Phytotaxa 307 (3), pp. 205-227 : 208-210

1. Sida abutilifolia Miller (1768 : Sida no. 12, as “abutifolia”) ( Figs. 1A , 4A ). Type:—UNKNOWN LOCALITY. In cult: herb. Miller, W. Houstoun s.n. (holotype, BM 000603911, photo!).

Taxonomic notes: — Fryxell (1988) and Fryxell & Hill (2015) states that this epithet indeed should be spelled “abutilifolia ”, as it is written on the type specimen. Sida abutilifolia is placed in Sida sect. Spinosae ( Fryxell 1985) and is distinguished from all other species by the following set of characters: prostrate stems, with hirsute and hyaline indument made of simple and dense trichomes, mixed with stellate hair; leaves symmetrical, ovate or oval-cordate; solitary flowers in the axils; pedicel 8–50 mm long, 1/3 to ½ articulated; calyx pentangular, not accrescent, sepals trullate; petals pale rose or salmon, with a magenta center; and 5 mericarps rounded, muticous.

Distribution and habitat: —This species is known from the southern United States, through Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean to northern South America, south to Peru and Brazil ( Fryxell 1985, Fuertes 1995). In Brazil, S. abutilifolia was previously known only from Acre and Amazonas ( Bovini 2015), and is reported here for the first time in the State of Pernambuco. This species is heliophilous and found growing on rocky and arid soils, in small to large populations, and inhabits the Caatinga zone, especially after rainy periods.

Representative specimen: — BRAZIL. Pernambuco. Parnamirim, km 23 da estrada Parnamirim-Petrolina, 23 May 1984, fr., F. Araújo 78 (IPA).

Figures

FIGURE 1. A: Sida abutilifolia, flower and leaf. B–C: Sida acuta. B: habit; C: flower and leaf. D: Sida angustissima, flower and leaf. E–F: Sida brittonii. E: flower; F: flower bud and leaves. G–H: Sida cerradoensis. G: habit; H: flower. Photos: G.S. Baracho.

FIGURE 4. A–B: Distribution maps of Sida species in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. A: Sida abutilifolia (Î); S. acuta (z); S. angustissima (|); S. brittonii (Ɨ); S. cerradoensis (D); S. harleyi (Δ). B: Sida cordifolia (Î); S. galheirensis (z); S. glomerata (|); S. glutinosa (Ɨ); S. jussiaeana (D); S. linifolia (Δ).