Malvaceae

Sida rhombifolia

Common Names: Paddy’s lucerne

Plant Form: Erect subshrub to small shrub. Size: Usually to 1 m tall. Stem: With star-shaped hairs when young, naked brown bark when older. Leaves: Alternate, undivided, usually broadly to narrowly diamond-shaped (widest near the middle) or sometimes widest toward the base, with toothed or notched margins, with star-shaped hairs sparse above and dense on lower side. Flowers: Solitary in leaf joins, yellow to pale orange, 15-20 mm across, with five petals and numerous stamens fused at the base. Fruit and Seeds: Dry, dark brown, breaking apart into 8-12 one-seeded, wedge-shaped pieces with two small-barbed spines. Habitat: Disturbed sites, roadsides, pastures, grasslands, open woodlands, crops, and gardens. Distinguishing Features: Differs from Spiny-head sida (Sida acuta) and Flannel weed (S. cordifolia) in the diamond-shaped leaves. Impacts: Outcompetes and replaces native vegetation.