Group:
1 Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) - I - Dicotyledons
Family:
Euphorbiaceae
Genus:
Acalypha
Common sinhala name:
Kuppameniya
Habit:
Herb
Origin:
Native
National conservation status:
LC- Least Concern
Legal status:
Not protected
Similar species:
All vernacular names:
කුප්පමේණිය, වල්නිය, Indian copper leaf, Indian Acalypha (English), Rudra / Haritamanjari / Arittamunjariye (Sanskrit),
Annual herb, (15-) 30—55 cm tall. Stems simple or branched from or near the base, finely pubescent, ascending, angular. Leaves long-petiolate, lamina (12-)30-60 x (7-) 24--50 mm, ovate to rhombic-ovate, crenate-serrate, rounded to cuneate-acute at base, frequently laterally unequal, apex acute or obtuse, minutely verrucose on both surfaces, 3(-5) veined, glabrous except for slight pubescence on margins and major veins, strongly so beneath; petiole (5-) 35—80 mm long, slender, pubescent, frequently longer than the lamina. Stipules c. 2 mm long, filiform. Inflorescence spicate, androgynous, axillary, (15-) 40-95 mm long. Male flowers minute, from a few to up to 30 arranged separately along upper end of inflorescence; female flowers spread singly and laxly along inflorescence axis, bracts large, 1-flowered, up to 6 x 14 mm or larger, reniform, multinerved, shallowly dentate, glabrous, teeth obtuse. Fruit 2.5—2.9 mm diameter, completely enclosed by bract, minutely pubescent mixed with few very short, stipitate, pale brown glands. Seeds c. 1.25 x 1 mm. ovoid, pale brown, glabrous. (FOC)