Seedling Morphology of Sida Acuta Burm. F. - A Medicinal Weed

Abstract

In the present communication seedling morphology of Sida acuta Burm. f., a well known medicinal weed of tropics and subtropics have been highlighted. Seedlings have been observed for 24 days up to 5th leaf stage to record their morpho-taxonomic attributes and illustrated at different leaf stages. Seedling germination was Macaranga type. Paracotyledons were opposite, isocotylar, foliaceous, exstipulate, petiolate and persistent up to 7th leaf stage. Paracotyledon blade was deltoid-ovate, base rounded, apex obtuse, margins entire, both surface green and glabrous, venation acrodromous. First leaf single, simple, alternate, exstipulate and petiolate. Leaf petiole was green and pubescent, terete and channelled in cross section. Leaf blade was oval, base cuneate, apex acute, margins dentate, both surface sparsely hairy and venation cladodromous. Subsequent leaves same as that of first leaf but stipulate; stipules two, unequal in length.