Sida cordifolia

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Sida cordifolia
Sida cord.jpg
Photo by Patricia Howell, Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Sida
Species: S. cordifolia
Binomial name
Sida cordifolia
L.
Sida cord dist.jpg
Natural range of Sida cordifolia from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common names: ‘Ilima, Great-leaved sida

Taxonomic notes

Description

S. cordifolia is a shrub that grows up to 1.5 meters tall. Leaves are heart shaped, serrate and truncate. Flowers are small, yellow or white, solitary and axillaries. Seeds are grayish black and smooth.[1]

Distribution

It is a Native of India, however, it is also found in Florida, Alabama, and Texas.[1]

Ecology

Habitat

Grows in damp climates and in waste areas.[1]

Phenology

Flowers from August to December, fruits October to January.[1]

Pollination

Sida cordifolia has been observed at the Archbold Biological Station with bees such as Apis mellifera (family Apidae), sweat bees from the Halictidae family such as Agapostemon splendens, Augochloropsis metallica, Lasioglossum pectoralis, L. placidensis and L. tamiamensis, leafcutting bees from the Megachilidae family such as Anthidiellum notatum rufomaculatum, Anthidium maculifrons, Coelioxys mexicana, Megachile albitarsis and M. texana, and spider wasps such as Ageniella faceta ventralis (family Pompilidae).[2]

Conservation, cultivation, and restoration

Cultural use

S. cordifolia is highly recognized for its medicinal properties: it contains ephedrine, vasicinol, vasicinone, and N-methyl tryptophan. Traditional medicine has used it to treat chronic dysentery, and asthma.[3]

Photo Gallery

References and notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 [[1]]Accessed: March 15, 2016
  2. Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
  3. Sivanesan, I. and B. R. Jeong (2007). "Direct Shoot Regeneration from Nodal Explants of Sida Cordifolia Linn." In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology. Plant 43(5): 436-441.