Sida sp. Small Flower (B.Gray 5657)

Provisional HISPID phrase name.

Usually flowers and fruits as a shrub about 1 m tall, sometimes flowers when smaller.

Leaf blades about 3.5-6.5 x 0.5-2 cm, petioles about 0.2-1 cm long. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade clothed in stellate hairs. Stipules linear, about 2-5 mm long, hairy.

Pedicels slender, about 5-12 mm long, hairy. Flowers about 3-4 mm diam. Calyx tube about 1 mm long, lobes about 1 mm long, outer surface densely clothed in pale brown, stellate hairs. Petals erect, not spreading, about 2 mm long, bases adhering to the staminal tube. Stamens 20-25, staminal tube about 1 mm long, free anther filaments about 1 mm long. Ovary about 6-8-(?)locular. Style branches about 6-8.

Fruits about 3.5-4 mm diam., divided into four to seven mericarps each containing a single seed. Calyx persistent and enclosing the fruit. Both the calyx and the outer surface of the mericarps clothed in stellate hairs. Seeds small, about 1-3 mm diam., testa glabrous, wrinkled. Endosperm oily.

Cotyledons triangular or cordate, apex rounded, about 4-6 x 4-6 mm, petioles about 5-7 mm long and clothed in simple hairs. First pair of leaves orbicular to elliptic or triangular, apex apiculate or acute, base sagittate to slightly peltate. Leaf blades about 6 x 8 mm, petioles 4-5 mm long, upper surface of the leaf blade glabrous, lower surface clothed in stellate hairs, margin crenate or dentate. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade ovate, apex acute to acuminate, base cordate. Upper surface clothed in mainly pale, simple hairs, lower surface clothed in pale brown, stellate hairs. Stipules linear, about 4-6 x 0.5 mm. Stem and terminal bud clothed in pale brown, stellate hairs.

Endemic to NEQ (?). Altitudinal range from 300-800 m. Grows as an understory plant in monsoon forest and vine thickets.