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Sida cordifolia
Also called Country mallow, Ilima, Broombush, Flannel Weed, Mash Mellow, Flannel Sida, Heart Leaf Sida
Sida cordifolia, known as 'ilima or flannel weed, is a hairy perennial subshrub of the Malvaceae family native to India and now naturalized worldwide, often as a weed. The Wikipedia excerpts describe the species; the care fields below reflect general knowledge of this species in cultivation.
Sida cordifolia (‘ilima, flannel weed, bala, country mallow or heart-leaf sida) is a perennial subshrub of the mallow family Malvaceae native to India. It has naturalized throughout the world, and is considered an invasive weed in Africa, Australia, the southern United States, Hawaiian Islands, New Guinea, and French Polynesia. The specific name, cordifolia, refers to the heart-shaped leaf.
The following alkaloids were reported from S. cordifolia growing in India: β-phenethylamine, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, S-(+)-Nb-methyltryptophan methyl ester, hypaphorine, vasicinone, vasicinol, choline, and betaine.
No tannin or glycosides have been identified from the plant. The roots and stems contain the alkaloid ephedrine, normally observed in the different varieties of the gymnosperm genus Ephedra. Recent analyses have revealed that ephedrine and pseudoephedrine constitute the major alkaloids from the aerial parts of the plant, which also show traces of sitosterol and palmitic, stearic and hexacosanoic acids. Two flavanones—5,7-dihydroxy-3-isoprenyl flavone and 5-hydroxy-3-isoprenyl flavone—and two phytosterols—β-sitosterol and stigmasterol—have been isolated from the plant. The analgesic alkaloid (5′-Hydroxymethyl-1′-(1,2,3,9-tetrahydro-pyrrolo [2,1-b] quinazolin-1-yl)-heptan-1-one) has also been found. Sterculic acid, malvalic acid, and coronaric acid have been isolated from the seed oil, along with other fatty acids.
Sida cordifolia is used in Ayurvedic medicine (Sanskrit:-BALA).
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Sida cordifolia by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
