Common name: Common wire weed. Tamil Name: Arivalmvkkan, Ariva Mooku Keerai
Common wire weed is a small shrub that grows to around 1.5 feet in height. It is abundantly found around fallow-lands, road sides and forest edges around western ghats area. Not common in higher elevations. It is a mucilaginous undershrub with linear-lanceolate serrated leafs which are arranged alternately and distichous manner. The leaf tip is acute. The lower surface of the leaf is light green and the upper surface is dark green. The leaf stalk and leaf measure around 4 mm and 5.6 cm respectively. The stipules measure around 1 cm and are leafy in appearance. The flowers are axillary seen either solitary or sometimes 2 in number. The flower measure around 1.2 cm across and are bisexual, actinomorphic with five separate petals arranged in an overlapping manner. The flower petals are yellow. The calyx elements are joint together at the base. The fruit is a group of 6 mericaps each containing a single seed. Sida genus belong to the Malvaceae family and consists of 200-300 species and are mostly of American tropical /sub-tropical origin. Sida plants are generally referred to as “fanpetals”. Unlike most other Malvaceae family members they lack epicalyx. They are mostly annuals or small shrubs , the flowers are generally yellow and the fruit is in the form of a schizocarp. Sida acuta is extensively used in Ayurveda for its medicinal properties. It is an important nectar source for insects and butterflies.
