Sida hermaphrodita (L.) Rusby:
United States (North America)

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: Native range thought to center on 4 disjunct areas: Potomac and Susquehanna watersheds in Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia; southeastern Indiana, extreme southern Ohio, western West Virginia, and adjacent northeastern Kentucky; (formerly) northeastern corner of Tennessee; and the Great Lakes region (northeastern Indiana, northwestern Ohio, Michigan, and southeastern Ontario). The native status of some occurrences in the Great Lakes region is uncertain (some are currently thought to have been introduced), but at least the Ontario occurrences are considered native, and at least one source (Spooner et al. 1985) argues that this region is part of the native distribuion.

Sida hermaphrodita is very distinctive within the genus Sida. Leaves are deeply palmately 5-lobed and irregularly serrate. The lobes are elongated, the middle one the longest. Flowers are perfect and have white petals. For a technical description see Gleason and Cronquist (1991) and Fryxell (1997).

Comments: Periodically flooded riverbanks on loose, sandy or rocky soil (Gleason and Cronquist 1991). A couple of populations occur on floodplains. Also thrives locally (becoming the dominant "weed") along roadsides and railroad banks on floodplains near natural populations, persisting in these areas if disturbance (especially late-season mowing) excludes woody invasives but allows Sida hermaphrodita plants to mature and produce seed.

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / spot causer
epiphyllous, more or less concentric pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph of Phyllosticta destructiva causes spots on fading leaf of Sida hermaphrodita
Remarks: season: 7-8

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 21 - 80

Comments: Locally abundant along about 100 miles of Kanawha River and lower New River, West Virginia, and portion of adjacent Ohio River (se Indiana, s Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia), especially between Point Pleasant and Huntington. Six extant occurrences in the eastern part of its range in Pennsylvania (1), Maryland (4), Virginia (1). Not much data from Ohio, where locally abundant near the Ohio River in the southeastern portion of the state. Extirpated from the District of Columbia, where perhaps only accidental; known historically but not known extant in Tennessee. The two occurrences in Ontario are considered native, as there is no evidence suggesting that either of them is of cultivated origin; also, one of these occurrences was evaluated by botanist Allison Cusick, who stated that the habitat was consistent with that of presumed native populations elsewhere and that the Ontario populations were likely native (M. Oldham pers. comm. 2009). In Indiana, the occurrences along the Ohio River corridor (se IN) are believed to be native; the origin of northeastern IN occurrences is less certain - they appear to be native per A. Cusick, but are disjunct and in different terrain than occurrences in the core of the native range (M. Homoya pers. comm. 2009). The origin of Michigan populations is also unclear; at the present time, they are considered more likely to have been introduced than to be native (M. Penskar pers. comm. 2009). M. Penskar (pers. comm. 2009) notes that "it seems that there has always been some uncertainty about the status of this taxon in Michigan," and a recent synopsis by A. Reznicek (pers. comm. 2009) states that it is "generally assumed to be introduced, but Spooner et al. (1985) argue for the nativity of Great Lakes region populations." Records for Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York are considered escapes from cultivation.

2n=28. High seed production and viability are exhibited by this species. Considerable research has been done by Russian botanists, DMITRASHKO et al. Effects of cobalt-60 rays on Sida hermaphrodita seeds. UKRAJINS'K Bot. Zhurn 27:795-796. (in Russian). Savchenko etc.

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N1 - Critically Imperiled

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N3 - Vulnerable

Rounded Global Status Rank: G3 - Vulnerable

Reasons: Rare and local throughout its range but locally very abundant, primarily in non-natural habitat, with large populations in portions of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. In the Ohio drainage, it flourishes in artificially disturbed areas such as roadsides and railroad banks, but flood control and development along river corridors have eliminated most of its natural habitat in the remainder of its range. The large, artificially maintained populations have no formal protection, are dependent on late-season mowing, and will disappear if the management regime is altered. Elsewhere, the total number of occurrences is low and declining, making the species' long-term outlook precarious in spite of its locally "weedy" character. Competition from invasive exotic species is also a threat in some riparian habitats.

Environmental Specificity: Very narrow. Specialist or community with key requirements scarce.

Global Short Term Trend: Decline of 10-30%

Comments: Declining due to development and/or flood control along river corridors; artifically maintained stands along roads or railroads disappear quickly if herbicided, mowed too early in season, or planted to grasses. Some natural occurrences impacted by invasive exotic species in riparian settings.

Global Long Term Trend: Increase of 10-25% to decline of 70%

Comments: Habitat heavily impacted by human activity throughout range, especially for flood control, transportation corridors.

Comments: Most populations are in non-natural habitat and are threatened by trampling, herbicides, changes in mowing schedules, road widening, removal (due to weedy appearance), and planting of grasses. Also threatened by flood control, severe flooding, and competition from invasive exotics such as Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora).

Biological Research Needs: Does herbicide use threaten or benefit the railroad occurrences? (Casual observation suggests that herbicides destroy the Sida along with the other weedy vegetation.)

Needs: Protect a few occurrences in Ohio and West Virginia where the best populations seem to occur. Recommendation made to USFWS 3Nov94 (at Eastern Heritage Conference) to review for possible federal listing (Category 2 status suggested).

Comments: Research has been done by Russian botanists, P.F. Medvedev 1940. New fibrous crops in the USSR. Sel'kozgiz. Moscow, Leningrad, USSR. (in Russian).

Stewardship Overview: Notify private land owners regarding plant populations on their property. Work with managers of highways, canals, and railroads. Control invasive exotics such as Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora).

Comments: Very distinctive within the genus Sida, perhaps meriting its own monotypic genus, according to Dr. Paul Fryxell, 1997; see also Clement (Contrib. Gray Herb., 1957) for similar views: "The section [Pseudonapaea, including only Sida hermaphrodita] has no close affinities with any other in the genus, nor with Napaea save in habit." Sida hermaphrodita has been retained in the genus primarily because no other suitable placement has been found (Fuertes et. al 2003).