Sida spenceriana

Sida spenceriana is a herb or shrub, which has hairy stems. The leaves are not lobed, have entire margins and are 10–24 mm long by 1.5–3 mm wide, have a covering of stellate hairs. There are stipules (7–10 mm long) which persist in with the older leaves. The flower has a pedicel (15–30 mm) and the perianth consists of two whorls (both calyx and corolla). It, too, has stellate hairs. The calyx is green, 4 mm long, and the lobes are fused joined for half or more of their length. The corolla is yellow, without a hairy covering and is 6 mm long. There are many stamens which are united in a staminal tube around the style. The anthers are 0.5 mm long. The ovary is quite smooth. There is a single style (2.7 mm long) which has five or numerous style branches or lobes, which are mostly smooth.[4]

A further description is found in (Barker, 2007),[6] where the calyx is described as being sometimes ribbed but not 10-ribbed at the base, and further, that this species has 13-15 mericarps.

The fruits are schizocarps. It flowers in August (in Western Australia).[4]

In Western Australia, it is found in the IBRA bioregions of Tanami and Victoria Bonaparte.[4] in the Northern Territory it is found in the IBRA bioregions of Gulf Plains, and Mitchell Grass Downs.[1]

Sida spenceriana was first described in 1885 by Ferdinand von Mueller[2][3] from a specimen (MEL 0053777A) collected by Jessie Spencer ("Mrs F. Spencer") "at Yappunyah and Thargomindah close to the Paroo River" in 1885.[3][7] The specific epithet, spenceriana, honours her.[7]

In Western Australia, it is listed as "not threatened",[4] while in the Northern Territory it is listed as "data deficient",[1] and in Queensland as of "least concern."[8]

• Sida spenceriana occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium
• Bean, A.R. Key to the Species of Sida in Queensland