Sida spenceriana | |
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Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malvales |
Family: | Malvaceae |
Genus: | Sida |
Species: | S. spenceriana
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Binomial name | |
Sida spenceriana | |
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Occurrence data from AVH |
Sida spenceriana is a small plant in the family Malvaceae found in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia [4] [5]
Sida spenceriana is a herb or shrub, which has hairy stems. The leaves are not lobed, have entire margins and are 10–24 mm long by 1.5–3 mm wide, have a covering of stellate hairs. There are stipules (7–10 mm long) which persist in with the older leaves. The flower has a pedicel (15–30 mm) and the perianth consists of two whorls (both calyx and corolla). It, too, has stellate hairs. The calyx is green, 4 mm long, and the lobes are fused joined for half or more of their length. The corolla is yellow, without a hairy covering and is 6 mm long. There are many stamens which are united in a staminal tube around the style. The anthers are 0.5 mm long. The ovary is quite smooth. There is a single style (2.7 mm long) which has five or numerous style branches or lobes, which are mostly smooth. [4]
A further description is found in (Barker, 2007), [6] where the calyx is described as being sometimes ribbed but not 10-ribbed at the base, and further, that this species has 13-15 mericarps.
The fruits are schizocarps. It flowers in August (in Western Australia). [4]
In Western Australia, it is found in the IBRA bioregions of Tanami and Victoria Bonaparte. [4] in the Northern Territory it is found in the IBRA bioregions of Gulf Plains, and Mitchell Grass Downs. [1]
Sida spenceriana was first described in 1885 by Ferdinand von Mueller [2] [3] from a specimen (MEL 0053777A) collected by Jessie Spencer ("Mrs F. Spencer") "at Yappunyah and Thargomindah close to the Paroo River" in 1885. [3] [7] The specific epithet, spenceriana, honours her. [7]
In Western Australia, it is listed as "not threatened", [4] while in the Northern Territory it is listed as "data deficient", [1] and in Queensland as of "least concern." [8]