Sida acuta Burm. f., Fl. Ind. 147. 1768; Roxb., FI. Ind. 3: 171. 1832; emend. K. Schum. in Fl. Brasil. 12,3: 326.1891. S. lanceolata Retz., Obs. Bot. 4: 119. 1786; Roxb., Hort. Beng. 50. 1814 & Fl. Ind. 3: 175.1832. S. carpinifolia auct. non L.f. 1785; Masters in Fl. Brit. India 1: 323. 1874.

Annual, erect or ascending herbs or undershrubs, 0.5 - 2 m high; stems pubescent with minute stellate hairs mixed with some simple hairs, ultimately glabrescent. Leaves 1 - 9 x 0.5 - 2.5 cm, lanceolate to linear, elliptic-lanceolate or ovate-oblong, acute, rarely obtuse or rounded at base, acute at apex, mostly coarsely or remotely serrate, 3-nerved at base, sparsely stellate and simple hairy on both surfaces, soon glabrescent; petioles 2 - 6 mm long, pubescent with minute stellate hairs; stipules 6 - 12 x 1 - 1.5 mm, each pair different with one lanceolate to linear 3 -6 -nerved another linear to filiform, 1 - 4 -nerved. Flowers axillary, solitary or 2 - 8 in clusters of 3 - 12 mm long. Calyx 5 - 6 mm across, campanulate, slightly accrescent, 5-fid; lobes ca 7 x 3 mm, triangular, acuminate, stellate and simple hairy outside, glabrous inside. Corolla light yellow, 8 - 10 mmm across; petals as long as or slightly exceeding, calyx lobes obliquely obovate, usually emarginate, ciliate at base, sparsely glandular hairy outside. Staminal column ca 4 mm long with simple and glandular hairs, antheriferous towards apex. Ovary 1.5 mm across, ovoid or globular. Mericarps 6 - 10, ca 4 mm long, somewhat tetrahedral, birostrate, awns ca 1.5 mm long with a groove in between, glabrous, reticulately striate, 1-seeded. Seeds ca 2 mm long, triangularly ovoid, glabrous, except for hairy hilum, dark brown.

Fl. & Fr. Sept. - May.

Distrib. India: Along roadsides, in wastelands, both shady and open places up to 1200 m. Throughout.

Pantropical.

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