Sida cordata (Burm. f.) Borss. Waalk.

Sida species annual, perennial herbs, undershrubs or shrubs. Stems erect or procumbent, stem and branches pubescent with stellate and glandular hairs or glabrous. Leaves alternate, simple rarely lobed, lanceolate-ovate to obovate-elliptic, base obtuse to cuneate, margins entire, serrate-dentate or lobed, apex acute to acuminate, petiolate, stipulate. Inflorescence usually axillary solitary, paired or terminal panicles or racemes, by the reduction of upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, pedicel slender, jointed above the middle, epicalyx absent, calyx 5 lobed or toothed, campanulate or cupular, usually plicate in bud, corolla showy, yellow, cream white, base connate, adnate to stamina column. Staminal column shorter than petals, glabrous or hairy, anthers basifixed, towards apex. Ovary 5-14 carpellate, ovules 1 per locule, style 1 per carpel, stigma capitate. Fruit indehiscent or partly dehiscent by middle dorsal line, rarely by lateral or basal walls when dried, schizocarp, oblate or discoid, minutely pubescent or glabrous, mericarps 5-10, reniform, smooth or reticulate, minutely stellate pubescent. Seed 1 in each mericarp, ovoid to reniform, glabrous or minutely hairy.

Herb

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Herb

Flowering and fruiting: January-April

Sida species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: July—January.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Perennial herbs or undershrubs, ascending or procumbent, about 0.5-1 m tall. Stems and branches pubescent with stiff stellate hairs and long patent simple hairs. Leaves alternate, lanceolate-ovate to ovate-oblong, about 5-80 x 3-55 mm across, base rounded to cordate, 3-7 veined, margins crenate-serrate or dentate, apex obtuse, acute to shallow acuminate, pubescent with appressed simple and stellate hairs above and beneath, petiole pubescent with patent simple and stellate hairs, about 2-30 mm long, stipules linear subulate, filiform, hairy, about 1-3 mm long. Inflorescence usually axillary solitary, or 2-5 in terminal racemes, by the reduction of upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, pedicel pubescent patent simple and stellate hairs, jointed above middle, slightly accrescent, about 2-35 mm long, epicalyx absent, calyx 5 lobed or 5 fid, campanulate, about 3 mm across, lobes deltoid or triangular, base connate till middle, apex acuminate, glabrous inside, pubescent with some stellate and simple hairs inside, about 3-4 x 0.2 mm across, corolla showy, yellow, pale yellow, about 10 mm across, base connate, adnate to staminal column, petals obovate, margins ciliate, about 5 x 4 mm across. Staminal column conical near the base, about 3 mm long, hairy with short simple hairs or glabrous, anthers basifixed, towards apex. Ovary 5 carpellate, ovoid, about 1.5 mm across, ovules 1 per locule, style 1 per carpel, stigma capitate. Fruit indehiscent or partly dehiscent by withering of the wall, schizocarp, globose, enclosed by a persistent calyx, tetrahedral with rounded angles, minutely pubescent, mericarps 5, reniform, dorsally reticulate, minutely stellate pubescent, about 4 x 2 mm across, awnless. Seed 1 in each mericarp, ovoid to reniform, about 2-1 mm across, glabrous, blackish brown.

Leaves 1.5-6.0´0.8-4.0cm, rhomboid, ovoid, apically serrate , entire towards base, hairs on both surfaces

Sida species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

Notes: All types of habitats from sandy seacoasts to deciduous forest

In open and shaded places, roadsides and wasteplaces, altitude up to 1500 m.

Wastelands, roadsides

All types of habitats from sandy sea coasts to deciduous forests

Common

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Threats recoded

It is found growing wild in the tropical forest

Used in Ayurvedic and Sidha medicines.

Medicinal