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Banko Janakari, Vol. 20, No. 2

53

Banko Janakari, Vol. 20, No. 2Shiva and Hari

New addition of  Sida spinosa L. (Malvaceae) to the flora of
Nepal

G. D. Bhatt1* and P. P. Kurmi1

1 National Herbarium and Plant Laboratories, Department of  Plant Resources, Godavari, Lalitpur, Nepal
*   Author for correspondence: gdb742gdb@gmail.com

The genus Sida L. (Malvaceae) is comprised of
     approximately 200 species distributed from
tropical to subtropical region of  the world (Paul,
1993). Up to five species (S. acuta, S. cordata, S.
cordifolia, S. mysorensis and S. rhombifolia) are reported
from Nepal (Whitemore, 1979; Press et al., 2000; Bista
et al., 2001). During the course of plant collection
this herbarium specimen was collected by P. P. Kurmi
from Udayapur VDC, Udayapur, Kapilbastu District,
Central Nepal at 150 m asl. During the identification
this specimen did not match with any species of  Sida
already reported from Nepal. After the detailed study
of  specimens and available literatures (Paul, 1993),
it has been identified as Sida spinosa L., which is a
new addition to the flora of  Nepal (Fig 1). The
species is distinguished from others by its “stems
with 1-2 spiny emergences at the base of  petioles;
mericarps with two divergent apical awns”. The
herbarium specimens are housed at National
Herbarium and Plant Laboratories (KATH),
Department of  Plant Resources, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Description of the species

Sida spinosa L. Sp. Pl. 638.1753; Masters in Fl. Brit.
India 1: 323. 1874.

Annual or perennial, erect or diffuse herbs or under
shrubs, up to 125 cm high; stems with 1-2 spiny
emergences at the base of  petioles; stems, petioles
and pedicels cinereous with minute stellate hairs.
Leaves 6-30 x 3-16 mm, ovate to oblong, acute
rounded or truncate at base and apex, serrate, 3-5
nerved at base, stellate-pubescent on both surfaces,
sometimes glabrescent above; petioles 2-15 mm long;
stipules 1-2.5 mm long, linear, hairy. Flowers axillary,
solitary or 2-3 clusters; pedicels 2-11 mm long,
accrescent up to 5 mm, jointed above the middle.
Calyx 3-5 mm across, campanulate, lobes free above
the middle, 1-2 x 1.5-2 mm, triangular adnate to
acuminate with a prominent midvein, cinereous with

minute stellate and scattered simple hairs outside,
glabrous inside except for apical margins. Schizocarps
enclosed within calyx; mericarps 5, 2-3 mm long,
trigonous with two divergent, 1-2 mm long awns,
apex of  mericarps and awns stellate-hairy, dorsal
portion with prominent reticulation (Fig 2 and 3).
Seeds 1-2 mm long, slightly trigonous, glabrous,
brownish-black.

Distribution: India, Nepal.
Ecology: As a weed in Rahar / Arhar (Cajanus cajan)
field. Generally growing on open and dry places.
Flowering and fruiting: December - May.
Local Name:  Balu / Gulsakaari -jfn' / u'N;sf/L_=
Sanskrit Name: Mahabala -dfxfFjnf_.

English Name: Prickly sida
Specimen examined: Central Nepal: Kapilbastu District,
Udayapur VDC, Udayapur, 150 m asl. 2010.4.18, P.
P. Kurmi 21(KATH).

Fig 1: Sida spinosa L.



Banko Janakari, Vol. 20, No. 2

54

Uses
The leaves are emollient and refrigerant and are useful
in gonorrhoea, gleets and scalding of  urine. The fruits
are astringent and cooling. Roots are diaphoretic,
antiperiodic, aphrodisiac and tonic. They are
administered in debility, fever, malarial fever,
hemorrhoids, swellings and in irritability of  bladder
(AVS, 1994).

Bhatta and Kurmi

Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Dr. Krishna Chandra Paudel,
Director General, Dr. Sushim Ranjan Baral, Scientific
Officer, Department of  Plant Resources and Suraj
Ketan Dhungana, Senior Research Officer, National
Herbarium and Plant Laboratories Godavari, Lalitpur
for their encouragement and facilities. We would like
to thank Dr. Keshab R. Rajbhandari, Senior
Taxonomist, for his guidance and sincere interest on
this paper..

References

AVS. 1994. Indian Medicinal Plants, Arya Vaidya
Sala Vol. V. Orient Longman, New Delhi, India.
141-42.

Bista, M. S., Adhikari, M. K. and Rajbhandari, K. R.
(eds.) 2001. Flowering Plants of  Nepal
(Phanerogams). Department of  Plant
Resources, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Paul, T. K. 1993. Malvaceae. In Flora of  India Volume
III. (eds.) Sharma B.D. and Sanjappe, S. Botanical
Survey of  India, Calcutta, India, 280-294.

Press, J. R., Shrestha, K. K. and Sutton, D. A. 2000.
Annotated Checklist of  the Flowering Plants
of  Nepal. Natural History Museum, London,
U. K.

Whitemore, T. C. 1979. Malvaceae. In  An Enumeration
of  the Flowering Plants of  Nepal Volume II. (eds.)
Hara, H. and Williams I.H.J. British Museum
(Natural History), London, U. K., 66-68.

Fig 2: Ventral view of  mericarp

 Fig 3: Dorsal view of  mericarp