Sida ammophila

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Sida ammophila
Sida ammophila flower.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Sida
Species:
S. ammophila
Binomial name
Sida ammophila

Sida ammophila commonly known as sand sida, [2] is a flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is a spreading perennial with yellow flowers, bluish-green leaves and grows on all mainland states of Australia and the Northern Territory.

Contents

Description

Sida ammophila is an upright or spreading, perennial shrub to about 80 cm (31 in) high with bluish-grey sometimes brownish branches densely covered in short, matted hairs. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, hairy, narrowly oblong or narrowly oval-shaped, 1–5 cm (0.39–1.97 in) long, 2–8 mm (0.079–0.315 in) wide and rounded or heart-shaped at the base. Both surfaces with star-shaped hairs and green-grey or bluish green above, lighter, less hairy below and minute teeth on the margins. Flowers mostly solitary, occasionally in racemes on a pedicel 1.5–25 mm (0.059–0.984 in) long, 5 petalled, pointed, yellow, and corolla 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long. Flowering may occur any time of the year and the fruit is a mericarp, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) in diameter, dark brown, wrinkled on lower surface, smooth on upper surface and occasional hairs. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Sida ammophila was first formally described in 1967 by J.H.Willis and the description was published in Muelleria from a type specimen collected in 1851 by Ferdinand Von Mueller in South Australia. [5] [6] The specific epithet (ammophila) means 'sand loving'. [7]

Distribution and habitat

Sand sida grows on sand dunes, sandy soils, sandy ridges in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. [3] [8]

References

  1. "Sida ammophila". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 Kutsche, Frank; Lay, Brendan; Croft, Tim; Kellermann, Jurgen (2013). Plants of Outback South Australia. Adelaide: State Herbarium of South Australia. p. 215. ISBN   9781922027603.
  3. 1 2 Mitchell, A.S.; Norris, E.H. "Sida ammophila". PlantNET-New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  4. Hollister, G.; Thiele, K.R. "Sida ammophila". Florabase-the Western Australian flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  5. "Sida ammophila". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  6. Willis, J.H. (1967). "Sida ammophila". Muelleria. 1 (3): 131. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  7. George, A.S; Sharr, F.A (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and their meanings (4th ed.). Kardinya: Four Gables. p. 133. ISBN   9780958034197.
  8. "Sida ammophila". VICFLORA-Flora of Victoria. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 27 August 2025.