374 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



Setlas (Guam). See Citrus medica. 

 Seyaihagon (Guam). See Nervilia arragoana. 

 Shaddock. See Citrus decumana. 

 Shell-leaf. See Nothopanax cochleaturh. 

 She-oak, Australian. See Casuarina equisetifolia. 

 Shore grass. See Stenotaphrum subulatum. 

 Siak (Visayan). See Excoecaria agallocha. 

 Sibucao or Sibukao (Guam). See Biancaea sappan. 

 Sicoi (Philippines). See Lagenaria lagenaria. 



Sida acuta. Broomweed. 



Family Malvaceae. 



Local names. — Escobilla (Spanish); Escobang-haba, Wawalisan (Philippines); 

 Malva de caballo (Cuba). 



A much-branched, semi-shrubby, perennial, its branches erect, smooth, or slightly 

 rough with minute stellate hairs. Leaves 1.5 to 6.5 cm. long, lanceolate-oblong, 

 rounded at base, acute or obtuse, sharply serrate or crenate-serrate, glabrous, pale 

 beneath, petioles 6 mm. long, thickened at top, slightly stellate-hairy; stipules linear- 

 subulate, exceeding petioles, veined, ciliate; flowers yellow, 1.5 cm. long, peduncle 

 6 to 12 mm. long, stellate-pubescent; calyx nearly glabrous, the segments very 

 broadly triangular, acute or acuminate; petals twice as long as calyx; ripe carpels 5 

 to 11, rugose on the back, black, with 2 sharp erect beaks. Collected in Guam by 

 Lesson. 



Common in waste places. The stems yield a good fiber. The natives make brooms, 

 with which they sweep their houses, of the stems of this and allied species, gathering 

 them afresh each morning. In the Philippines, according to Padre Blanco, poul- 

 tices are made by boiling the leaves and are applied to ulcers and other sores. In 

 India a tonic is made of the plant, which is said to be a good appetizer. 

 References: 

 Sida acuta Burm. f. Fl. Ind. 147. 1768. 

 Sida carpinifolia. Same as Sida acuta. 

 Sida glomerata. 



This species is said by Gaudichaud to occur in Guam, where, according to his notes, 

 the natives call it "escobilla papagu," "papagu" meaning " poil a gratter" (hair 

 for scratching). It is given by Endlicher in his list of South Sea Island plants as 

 occurring in Guam/' where it was collected by Lesson. According to Cavanilles's 

 description, the species has ovate-lanceolate, serrate, tomentose leaves, axillary 1- 

 flowered very short pedicels, and five 2-beaked carpels. Calyx ciliate. 

 References: 

 Sida glomerata Cav. Diss. 1:18. t. 2.f. 6. 1785. 

 Sida indica. Same as Abutilon indicum. 

 Sida maura. 



In Endlicher'slist of South Sea Island plants, cited above, this species, attributed to 

 Link, is said to have been collected by Chamisso in the Marianne Islands. It is not 

 further known. In Link's Enumeratio i^lantarum horti regii botanici berolinensis, & 

 I find not S. maura but *S'. mauritiana, which has the leaves "praesertim subtus 

 incana. caps, longe birostres." No locality given. Leaves cordate, crenate, often 

 angled. 



References: 

 Sida maura Endl. Fl. Siidseeinseln, Ann. Wien. Mus. 1: 182. 1836. 



«Uber die Flora der Siidseeinseln, p. 182, 1836. 

 b Vol. 2, p. 205, 1822. 



