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• Conservation Status
• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Habitat
• Reproduction
• Growth
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
• Notes
• Keep Exploring

Overview:

Conservation Status

Population Trend:

Growing

Uses as Product: Berry/Nut/Seed Product: No • Christmas Tree Product: No • Fodder Product: No • Fuelwood Product: None • Lumber Product: No • Naval Store Product: No • Nursery Stock Product: Yes • Post Product: No • Protein Potential: Low • Pulpwood Product: No • Veneer Product: No

Edibility: Palatable Browse Animal: Low • Palatable Graze Animal: Low • Palatable Human: No • Toxicity: None

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms:

1. Acalypha virginica var. angustifolia Torr.
2. Acalypha virginica var. genuina Müll.Arg.
3. Acalypha virginica forma intermedia Millsp.
4. Ricinocarpus virginicus (L.) Kuntze

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name.

Publishing author: Raf. Publication: New Fl. N. Amer. Pt. 1, 45 (1836)

Publishing author: Raf. Publication: New. Fl. Am. i. 45.

Publishing author: Raf. Publication: New Fl. (Rafinesque) i. 44

Publishing author: Müll.Arg. Publication: Linnaea 34: 44 1865

Publishing author: Torr. Publication: Fl. New York 2: 173 1847

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: Govaerts R., 11-Nov-2003

Name verified on

Place of publication: Sp. pl. 2:1003. 1753, nom. cons.

Name verified on 05-May-1992 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 29-May-2007

Physical Description

Family Euphorbiaceae:

The Euphorbiaceae are mostly monoecious herbs, shrubs, and trees, sometimes succulent and cactus-like, comprising one of the largest families of plants with about 300 genera and 7,500 species that are further characterized by the frequent occurrence of milky sap. The leaves are mostly alternate but may be opposite or whorled and they are simple, or compound, or sometimes highly reduced. Stipules are generally present but may be reduced to hairs, glands or spines. The flowers are unisexual and usually actinomorphic. They may be highly reduced by suppression of parts, in the extreme form consisting of a naked stamen as a male flower and a naked pistil as a female flower. A specialized type of miniature inflorescence called a cyathium occurs in about 1,500 species comprising the genera Euphorbia and Chamaesyce. The cyathium consists of a single naked pistillate flower surrounded by cymes of naked staminate flowers, each consisting of a single stamen. These flowers are all enclosed in a cup-like involucre that typically is provided with peripheral nectaries and petaloid appendages such that the whole aggregation closely resembles a single flower. In other members of the family the flowers and inflorescences are more ordinary in appearance, with male and female flowers typically bearing a 5-merous calyx and corolla of distinct segments, although the corolla is sometimes absent. In these forms the androecium most commonly consists of 5, 10 or sometimes numerous distinct or monadelphous stamens. The gynoecium of female flowers consists of a single compound pistil of typically 3 carpels, an equal number of styles or primary style branches, and a superior ovary with typically 3 locules, each bearing 1 or 2 collateral, axile-apical pendulous ovules. The fruit is usually a capsular schizocarp. -- Gerald Carr.

Habit: Forb/herb • Growth Form: Single Crown • Shape and Orientation: Erect

Flowers: Bloom Period: June, July, August, September. • Flower Color: chartreuse, inconspicuous, none, yellow-green • Flower Conspicuous: Yes

Seeds: Seed per Pound: 678000 • Seed Spread Rate: Slow • Seedling Vigor: Medium • Fruit/Seed Abundance: High • Fruit/Seed Color: Red • Fruit/Seed Conspicuous: No • Cold Stratification Required: No

Foliage: Foliage Color: Green • Foliage Porosity Summer: Moderate • Foliage Porosity Winter: Porous • Foliage Texture: Coarse • Fall Conspicuous: Yes • Leaf Retention: No

Images:

Distribution

Range and Population

North America

Native: .

Native: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia.

Habitat

Biome

Terrestrial

Reproduction

Duration: Annual • Coppice Potential: No • Progagated by Bulbs: No • Propagated by Bare Root: Yes • Propagated by Container: Yes • Propagated by Corms: No • Propagated by Cuttings: Yes • Propagated by Seed: Yes • Propagated by Sod: No • Propagated by Sprigs: No • Propagated by Tubers: No • Fruit/Seed Period Begin: Summer • Fruit/Seed Period End: Fall • Fruit/Seed Persistence: No • Fruit/Seed Persistence: No

Growth

Culture: Space 15-18" apart.

Soil: Adapted to Medium Textured: Adapted to Medium Textured Soils • Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils: No • Anaerobic Tolerance: None • Salinity Tolerance: None • CaCO3 Tolerance: Low • Minimum pH: 5.9 • Maximum pH: 7.0 • Fertility Requirement: Medium

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun. • Shade Tolerance: Intermediate

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: Medium • Minimum Precipitation: 13 • Maximum Precipitation: 60 • Moisture Use: Medium

Temperature: Minimum Temperature (F): 33 • Minimum Frost Free Days: 80 • Cold Hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. (map)

Similar Species

Members of the genus Acalypha:

There are approximately 776 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: A. 'Fairy Dust' (Copper Leaf) · A. 'Inferno' (Acalypha) · A. 'Raggedy Ann' (Copper Leaf) · A. abingdonii · A. acapulcensis · A. accedens · A. accedens f. brachyandra · A. acrensis · A. acrogyna · A. acrogyne · A. acuminata · A. adenostachya · A. aequalis · A. afrestis · A. akoensis · A. alchorneoides · A. alexandri · A. alexandrii · A. aliena · A. allenii · A. allessi · A. alnifolia · A. alopecuroidea (Fox-Tail Copper-Leaf) · A. alopecuroidea f. glanduligera · A. alopecuroidea var. glanduligera · A. alopecuroidea var. hispida · A. alopecuroidea var. polycephala · A. alopecuroides · A. amantacea · A. ambigua · A. ambiodonta · A. ambliodonta · A. amblyodonta · A. amboynensis · A. amentacea (Acalypha) · A. amentacea amentacea · A. amentacea f. circinata · A. amentacea subsp. wilkesiana · A. amentacea var. grandis · A. amentacea var. heterotricha · A. amentacea var. palauensis · A. amentacea var. trukensis · A. amentacea var. velutina · A. amentacea wilkesiana (Wilkes' Acalypha) · A. amplexicaule · A. amplexicaulis · A. ampliata · A. anadenia · A. andringitrensis · A. anemioides · A. angustata · A. angustifolia · A. angustissima · A. annobonae · A. apetiolata · A. apodanthes · A. arborea · A. arciana · A. argentii · A. argomuelleri · A. argomulleri · A. aristata (Field Copperleaf) · A. aronioides · A. aspera · A. aspericocca · A. australis (Australian Acalypha) · A. bakeriana · A. balansae · A. balgooyi · A. baroni · A. baronii · A. beckii · A. benensis · A. benguelensis · A. berteriana (Berteron Acalypha) · A. berteroana · A. betulaefolia · A. bilbergiana · A. bipartita · A. bisetosa (Streambank Copperleaf) · A. boinensis · A. boiviniana · A. boliviensis · A. bopiana · A. botteriana · A. brachiata · A. brachy · A. brachyclada · A. bracteata · A. brasiliensis · A. brasiliensis f. obtusa · A. brasiliensis [infrasp.unranked] cordata · A. braziliensis · A. brevibracteata · A. brevicaulis · A. brevipetiolata · A. brittoni · A. brittonii · A. buchtieni · A. buchtienii

Bibliography

• Brummitt, R. K. 1993. Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 39. Taxon 42:876. [conservation proposal recommended].
• Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas. (F Tex)
• Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae. (L Euphorb)
• Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. (Atlas WWeed)
• Levin, G. A. 1999. Notes on Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae) in North America. Rhodora 101:231.
• McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains. (Atlas GPlains)
• Ohio Flora Committee (E. L. Braun, T. S. Cooperrider, T. R. Fisher, J. J. Furlow). 1967–. The vascular flora of Ohio. (F Ohio)
• Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas. (F Carolin)
• Reveal, J. L. et al. 1990. (981) Proposal to conserve the name and type of Acalypha virginica L. (Euphorbiaceae). Taxon 39:361.
• Seymour, F. 1969. The flora of New England. (F NEng)
• Strausbaugh, T. D. & E. L. Core. 1978. Flora of West Virginia, ed. 2. (F WVa)
• Voss, E. 1972–. Michigan flora. (F Mich)

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Notes

Contributors:

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed November 8, 2006.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed May 28, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 6 providers.
• The International Plant Names Index. Accessed Jan 19, 2007.
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 24, 2008)
• USDA, NRCS. 2005. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
• World Checklist of Selected Plant FamiliesFeb 2, 2006.

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 15, 2007:

• Canadian Museum of Nature, Canadian Museum of Nature Herbarium
• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum
• USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database
• University of Alabama Biodiversity and Systematics, Herbarium
• Utah State University, USU-UTC Specimen Database

Identifiers:

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 28193
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 14259783
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:337927-1
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PDEUP010L2 PDEUP010L1 PDEUP010L3
• U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: ACRH ACDE4
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 12998