Sida petrophila

Sida petrophila
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Malvaceae
Genus:	Sida
Species:	S. petrophila
Binomial name
Sida petrophila F.Muell. [1]

Sida petrophila, commonly known as rock sida, ^[2] is a flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and grows in all mainland states of Australia with the exception of Victoria and the Northern Territory. It is an upright perennial with leaves arranged alternately and yellow flowers.

Description

Sida petrophila is an upright, spindly, perennial shrub to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) high, usually with a thick covering of yellowish-grey, woolly, star-shaped hairs. Its leaves are arranged alternately, grey-green, felty, 1.5–6 cm (0.59–2.36 in) long, 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) wide, oblong to linear lance-shaped, with wavy or serrated edges. There are stipules 7–15 mm (0.28–0.59 in) long, sometimes persisting on older leaves. One or two flowers are borne in leaf axils on a pedicel 7–20 mm (0.28–0.79 in) long, but shorter than the leaves. The sepals are green, with lobes 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long and the five petals are yellow and 9–15 mm (0.35–0.59 in) long. Flowering occurs in most months of the year and the fruit is a wrinkled mericarp and 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) in diameter, covered with soft, star-shaped hairs. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Taxonomy and naming

Sida petrophila was first formally described in 1853 by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in Linnaea: ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde. ^{[5] [6]} The specific epithet (petrophila) means 'rock loving'. ^[7]

Distribution and habitat

Rock sida grows on stony slopes and shallow sandy soils in the south-west of Western Australia, ^[3] and in South Australia, ^[8] New South Wales ^[4] and Queensland. ^[9]

References

1. "Sida petrophila". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
2. Kutsche, Frank; Lay, Brendan; Croft, Tim; Kellermann, Jurgen (2013). Plants of Outback South Australia. Adelaide: State Herbarium of South Australia. p. 134. ISBN   9781922027603.
3. Hollister, C.; Thiele, K.R. "Sida petrophila". Florabase-the Western Australian Flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
4. Mitchell, A.S. "Sida petrophila". PlantNET-New South Wales Flora online. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
5. "Sida petrophila". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
6. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1853). "Diagnoses et descriptiones plantarum novarum, quas in Nova Hollandia australi praecipue in regionibus interioribus". Linnaea: ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde. 25: 381–382. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
7. George, A.S; Sharr, F.A (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and their meanings (4th ed.). Kardinya: Four Gables. p. 283. ISBN   9780958034197.
8. "Sida petrophila". Seeds of South Australia. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
9. "Sida petrophila". Queensland Government WildNet. Retrieved 19 December 2025.