292 A FLORA OF MANILA 
10 to 12 mm wide, densely stellate-pubescent. (FI. Filip. pl. 468, Mercadoa 
mandalojonensis.) 
In thickets, Masambong, fl. May. Of local occurrence in the Philippines. 
Malaya. 
14. ACALYPHA Linnaeus 
Herbs, shrubs, or trees, with alternate, toothed or crenate, 3- to 5-pli- 
nerved or penninerved leaves. Flowers very small in axillary spikes, monoe- 
cious, rarely dioecious, without petals. Male flowers very small, ebracteate. 
Calyx thin, splitting into 4 valvate sepals. Disk none. Stamens 8 or many, 
on a convex receptacle; filaments free. Rudimentary ovary none. Female 
flowers at the base of the male spike or more often in separate ones, often 
with large, accrescent leafy bracts. Sepals 3 or 4, very small. Ovary 3- 
celled; styles slender, often very long and laciniate or fimbriate; ovules 1 in 
each cell. Capsule of 3, small, crustaceous, 2-valved cecci. (From an 
ancient Greek name of the nettle.) 
Species about 300 in tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres, 
8 or more in the Philippines. 
1. Herbs. 
2. Spikes 5 to 6 cm long; bracts distant, glabrous or nearly so. 
1. A. indica 
2. Spikes 1 to 2 em long, dense; bracts close, somewhat imbricate, densely 
pt hate 21 | ilies NCA ME Lie Sel A a Rae Ade He» ae RNR I i ABS Wy 1) yi lo 
1. Shrubs or undershrubs. 
2. Spikes pendulous, purple, dense, about 1 cm in diameter, up to 40 cm 
a RRs C0 0g fc RRM RANA ak RE la ie ce cel et ea RS ee ote 3. A. hispida 
2. Spikes slender, 10 to 20 cm long less than 5 mm in diameter. 
4, Leaves broadly ovate, variously mottled with red and purple. 
4. A. wilkesiana 
4, Leaves oblong-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, green...... 5. A. stipulacea 
1. A. INDICA L. 
An erect, simple or branched, somewhat appressed-pubescent, annual 
herb, 30 to 80 cm high. Leaves long-petioled, ovate, crenate-serrate, acute 
or obtuse, base acute, entire, 8 to 6 cm long, shorter than the petioles. 
Spikes axillary, solitary, erect, 4 to 8 cm long. Male flowers few, small, 
terminal. Bracts few to many, distant, green, glabrous or nearly so, 5 
to 6 mm long, crenate, reniform when spread, each with 1 or more female 
flowers. Capsules about 2 mm long, slightly hispid. (FI. Filip. pl. 266.) 
In waste places, fl. all the year; widely distributed in the Philippines, 
undoubtedly introduced. Tropical Africa, through tropical Asia to Ma- 
laya. 
2. A. BOEHMEROIDES Miq. 
An erect, simple, rarely branched, annual, appressed-pubescent herb 20 
to 80 em high. Leaves 2 to 7 em long, long-petioled, ovate to oblong- 
ovate, acuminate, base acute, entire, margins dentate. Spikes axillary, 
usually solitary, dense, 1 to 2 cm long. Male flowers few, at the apices of 
the spikes. Bracts numerous, crowded, somewhat imbricate, rather densely 
pubescent, 4 to 5 mm long, toothed, reniform when spread. Capsules 
much shorter than the bracts, hirsute. 
In waste places, fl. all the year; of local occurrence in and about towns 
in the Philippines, probably introduced. Malaya. 
