Sida
Sida tragiifolia
Drawn from a specimen found at Catalina State Park, Sta. Catalina Mts., AZ. 19 Sept. 1994. Enlarged view of a single-seeded dry fruit segment (shizocarp) at lower right.
RANGE: Upland Sonoran Desert in the foothills around Tucson, Arizona
ranging hence south and east. Not particularily common.
FRUIT: Breaks apart into separate carpels (shizocarp) each of which has a
smooth top and a reticulated base.
PERENNIAL HERB / LOW SHRUB: Slightly woody above crown reaching a
meter-and-a-half or so in height. Possesses a long woody taproot.
FLOWERS: smallish, solitary orange-yellow flowers with five petals.
Numerous stamens typical of Malvaceae united into a stamen tube.
UNARMED.
LEAVES: usu. triangulate with distinctly crenate (rounded) teeth. The
resemblance of the leaves to those of noseburn, Tragia, could lead to
some interesting speculation about mimicry given that Tragia is a
euphorbiaceae with stinging hairs to deter herbivores.