Home | > | List of families | > | Euphorbiaceae | > | Acalypha | > | ciliata |
Synonyms: |
Ricinocarpus ciliatus (Forssk.) Kuntze |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Erect annual herb, up to 1.3 m tall. Stems finely velvety. Leaves elliptic-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, up to 10 × 5.5 cm, 3-5-veined from the base, thinly textured, hairless to sparingly hairy on both surfaces, often more so on the midrib and veins below; margin toothed; petiole up to 7 cm long. Flowers in axillary spikes, up to 3cm long, unisexual on the same inflorescence. Female flowers below, held in bracts with ciliate, filiform teeth on the margin, up to 4 mm long; male flowers above, very small, greenish with yellow anthers. Fruit 1.5 × 2.5 mm, 3-lobed, smooth, more or less hairless. |
Notes: | See Acalypha fimbriata for comparison. |
Derivation of specific name: | ciliata: fringed with hairs; ciliate |
Habitat: | In Acacia woodland, riverine vegetation, on the margins of pans, on alluvial soil or sandy soil near the edge of water. Also along margins of sand forest. |
Altitude range: | 180 - 1000 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in tropical Africa but absent from the Congo basin; also in Yemen, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. |
Malawi distribution: | N,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Monday 4 September 2017 |
Literature: |
Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 40. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 204 - 205. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 55. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 206. |
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