Urena lobata L. – Caersarweed
Family – Malvaceae
Stems:
N/A
Leaves:
Inflorescence:
N/A
Flowers:
Fruits.
Flowering – All year.
Habitat – Disturbed sites, sandy ground, waste places.
Origin – Possibly of Asian origin.
Other information – This weedy species has been reported from just one coastal Alabama county thus far. The plant is common and aggressive more to the south. U. lobata can be identified by its small pink flowers, bristly fruits (which cling to any fabric or hair), and hairy stems and leaves. The leaves are typically ovate to broadly ovate in shape and typically lobed. The plant can get shrubby and reach a height of 3m or more.
The genus name Urena is from the old Malabar name for the plant.
The species epithet lobata derives from the new Latin “lobat” meaning “lobed” referring to the leaves.
Alabama Distribution:
Photographs taken off Hwy 60 near Yeehaw Junction, FL., 2-13-03, and in Winter Haven, Fl., 12-26-06.