Sida ovata Forssk.

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.

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Shrub Distribution notes: Exotic

Flowering and fruiting: July-February

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—February.

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, erect, about 0.3-1 m tall. Stems, branches, petioles and pedicels pubescent with minute stellate hairs. Leaves alternate, ovate-oblong, about 15-50 x 10-40 mm across, base obtuse, 5 veined, margins coarsely crenate-serrate, apex obtuse, dark green above and paler beneath, densely villous with stellate hairs above and beneath, sometimes glabrescent above, petiole hairy with minute stellate hairs, about 4-25 mm long, stipules linear subulate, filiform, about 3-7 mm long. Inflorescence usually axillary solitary, or paired sometimes, by the reduction of upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, pedicel pubescent, jointed above middle, about 5-10 mm long, epicalyx absent, calyx 5 lobed, campanulate, about 5-8 mm across, accrescent, up to 15 mm long, lobes ovate, base connate, apex acuminate, glabrous inside except for the margins, densely pubescent with stellate hairs outside, about 10 x 7 mm across, corolla showy, yellow, pale yellow, base connate, adnate to stamina column, petals pale yellow, petals obovate, glabrous inside, pubescent with bulbous base hairs outside and margins. Staminal column shorter than petals, about 7 mm long, hairy with stellate hairs, anthers basifixed, towards apex. Ovary 8 carpellate, ovoid, style 1 per carpel, stigma capitate. Fruit indehiscent or partly dehiscent by middle dorsal line, rarely by lateral or basal walls when dried, schizocarp, depressed globose, enclosed by a persistent calyx, grooved longitudinally, minutely pubescent, mericarps 8, reniform, reticulate, sparsely hairs on both sides, about 3-4 mm long, pair of awns near apex, about 1 mm long. Seed 1 in each mericarp, ovoid to reniform, about 2 mm across, glabrous and minutely hairy near hilium, blackish brown.

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

Notes: Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forest

Roadsides and wastelands

In open dry places, altitude up to 600 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in folk medicine.