Foxtail Copperleaf

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Foxtail Copperleaf

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ricinocarpus alopecuroidea
• Ricinocarpus aristatus
• Acalypha alopecuroidea lusus glanduligera
• Acalypha alopecuroidea f. glanduligera
• Acalypha alopecuroidea lusus hispida
• Acalypha alopecuroidea f. polycephala
• Acalypha aristata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, falling within the order Malpighiales. Finally, it is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae and the genus Acalypha.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning across several distinct regions of the world. In the Southwestern Pacific, it can be found growing in Samoa. Its presence extends to the Southeastern United States, specifically within the states of Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana. Additionally, the species is distributed throughout Northeast Mexico. This wide distribution highlights the plant's ability to inhabit varied ecological zones.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Acalypha alopecuroidea is characterized by its presence in anthropic areas (Área Antrópica), where it thrives in environments influenced by human activity and land modification. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, occupying a vertical range that begins at sea level (0 m AMSL) and extends up to a maximum elevation of 1000 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Acalypha alopecuroidea is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning it completes its entire biological development—from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and seed production—within a single growing season. In terms of its structural growth strategy, the species is classified as a chamaephyte, a life form where the permanent buds are located close to the soil surface, typically just above the ground level. This combination of a rapid annual reproductive cycle and a low-growing chamaephyte habit allows the plant to efficiently exploit seasonal environmental conditions and quickly colonize available niches before the onset of unfavorable periods.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Acalypha alopecuroidea is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. It functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite and does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, maintaining a terrestrial existence. Although it can exist in habitats ranging from aquatic to semiaquatic, its primary classification is terrestrial. In terms of its structural habit, the plant is self-supporting, behaving as a self-supporting structure rather than acting as an obligatory or facultative climber, liana, or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Acalypha alopecuroidea has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Cyclin D1.

Cyclin D1

1. International journal of oncology