Sida spinosa Linnaeus (1753: 683)

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 : 221-222

19. Sida spinosa Linnaeus (1753: 683) ( Figs. 6A – C , 7B ). Type:— Habitat in India utraque, spinosa, Herb. Linnaeus 866.1 (holotype, LINN, photo!).

Taxonomic notes: — Sida spinosa is placed in Sida sect. Spinosae ( Fryxell 1985) based on the following combination of characters: stipules usually 1-nerved; petioles 3– 2.3 mm long, spinose at base, occasionally vinaceous; leaf blades ovate to narrowly ovate to oblong, sometimes variously vinaceous; flowers solitary or in small clusters in the axils and crowded in racemes at the apices; calyx angulate, 10-ribbed; corolla pale yellow without a red center or white; and mericarps 5, biaristate, the spines with bifurcate antrorse trichomes. Sida spinosa is one of the species of the genus that has a wide distribution, a great morphological variation, and a high possibility to form morphotypes , which makes naming the species difficult and problematic. Another possibility is that these morphotypes may represent different species, as observed in the complex of species belonging to S. acuta , S. ciliaris , S. rhombifolia , among others.

Distribution and habitat: — Sida spinosa is pantropical, and also occurs in adjacent temperate zones ( Fryxell 1985, Fuertes 1995). It is widely distributed in the Caribbean and tropical America ( Fryxell 1988) including all Brazilian regions. It is found throughout State of Pernambuco from Littoral to Caatinga, in wet forests, dry caatinga vegetation and brejos de altitude. It grows in small to large populations in disturbed and urbanized areas such as dry river beds, plantations, roadsides and in ruderal places or wastelands.

Representative specimen: — BRAZIL. Pernambuco. Salgueiro, 8º7’29.7” S, 39º7’16.1” W, 29 March 2013, J.L. Brandão & G.S. Baracho 316 (PEUFR).

Figures

FIGURE 6. A–C: Sida spinosa. A: flower; B: schizocarp with mature mericarps; C: tubercles present on stem at the base of petioles. D: Sida ulei, flower. E: Sida urens, flower in glomerule. F–G: Sida ulmifolia. F: flower and leaves; G: schizocarp with mature mericarps. Photos: G.S. Baracho.

FIGURE 7. A–B: Distribution maps of Sida species in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. A: Sida pernambucensis (Ì); S. planicaulis (|); S. rhombifolia var. rhombifolia (Ɨ); S. salviifolia (D); S. santaremensis (Î); S. setosa (Δ). B: Sida spinosa (z); S. tuberculata var. pseudo-rhombifolia (|); S. uchoae (Ɨ); S. ulei (D); S. ulmifolia (Î); S. urens (Δ).