| Synonyms: |
Acalypha acuta Thunb. Adenocline mercurialis Turcz. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
A much-branched annual or perennial herb; stems weak, trailing or scrambling, up to 3 m long, hollow, cylindric, ribbed, green. Leaves opposite, triangular-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2–8 cm long, 5–7-nerved from the base, light green; margin toothed; petiole 1–5 cm long. Stipules dissected with subulate-filiform segments up to 4 mm long, persistent. Flowers unisexual on different plants, greenish. Male inflorescences a lax branched head up to 15 cm long and 20 cm wide, laxly paniculate; female inflorescences similar but generally somewhat smaller. Fruit 3-lobed, 2 × 3 mm, smooth, green. |
| Type location: |
South Africa. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | acuta: pointed or acute |
| Habitat: | In montane grassland, along margins of rainforest and on riverbanks in shade in forest, also in thickets and on wooded granite outcrops. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 1340 - 2300 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Malawi, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape South Africa. |
| FZ divisions: | E,S |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 3. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 40. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 248 - 249. (Includes a picture). |