Common Sida, Arrowleaf sida
Sida rhombifolia

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A herb or small shrub. It grows 1-1.5 m tall. It is very hairy. It has many branches. The leaf stalk is 3-5 mm long. The leaf blade is sword shaped and 2.2-4.5 cm long by 0.6-2 cm wide. The flowers occur singly in the axils of leaves. They are yellow and about 1 cm across. The fruit is half round and 6-7 mm across.

There are about 100 Sida species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows along roadsides. It can grow in arid places. It grows up to 2,000 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, American Samoa, Andes, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Azores, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America (country/location of origin), Chile, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Europe, Fiji, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Jamacia (country/location of origin), Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Laos, Lesser Antilles, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marquesas, Mauritius, Mexico (country/location of origin), Micronesia, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, North America, Oman, Pacific, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rotuma, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America (country/location of origin), Spain, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are used to make a tea drink. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable. The leaves are also chewed with betel nut.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable, leaves - tea, flowers, root

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Afata, Arrowleaf sida, Bai banhbo, Bai bei huang hua ren, Barela, Bhiunli, Big Jack, Broomjute sida, Bunga padang, Chilequitiqui, Cosa cosa, Crementina, Delelmukula, Dewi, Escoba, Escobillo, Guanxuma, Guaxuma, Hihara, Japul tum, Jerun, Kanshunshu, Kanteang bay sa nhi, Kat mawn, Katsi-ne, Label-baba, Lemak ketam, Ligelegele, Maa dhiggaa, Mautofu, Mundundu, Ntalala, Otok-otok, Paddy's lucerne, Palo morado, Perdu sapu, Quebe, Sahadev, Seleguri, Sida daun lancip, Sidaguri, Taaiman, Tapak leman, Teaweed, Uvivane, Wakhahaa, Willu

Synonyms

Sida retusa Linn.; Malva rhombifolia (L.) E. H. L. Krause;