Paddy's Lucerne
Sida rhombifolia
Malvaceae
Medicinal
Paddy's lucerne prefers light to medium well-drained soils in an open, sunny position. It is commonly found in paddocks, gardens, waste places, disturbed forests and roadsides. Leaves range from 3.5-7.5 x 1-3 cm, margins rather coarsely serrate and hairs present on both surfaces of the younger leaves. Flowers are small, solitary, pale orange to yellow on slender stalks about 10-30mm long. The plant usually grows 60-100 cm tall, but can reach up to 2 m in height. The plant eproduces by seed, and is spread via water, animals, clothing and contaminated agricultural produce.
Paddy's lucerne is host of Veronicella cubensis (Cuban slug), Coccidohystrix insolita (eggplant mealybug), Spodoptera eridania (southern armyworm), Tobacco leaf curl virus, Meloidogyne ethiopica (Root-knot nematode), Meloidogyne incognita (root-knot nematode), Phenacoccus solenopsis (cotton mealybug), Aleurodicus dispersus (whitefly), Bemisia tabaci (tobacco whitefly), Chrysodeixis includens (soybean looper), Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (cotton, seed bug), Phytoplasma brasiliense, Rastrococcus invadens (fruit tree mealybug), Xylella fastidiosa (Pierce's disease of grapevines) (source - Cabi). Cotton bunchy top (CBT) virus (source - crdc.com.au). Green vegetable bug (source - Inside cotton). Dysdercus cingulatus (Cotton stainer). The larvae of Blue Moon butterfly Hypolimnas bolina are known to feed on this plant. Orosius cellulosus (Leafhopper). Cotton virescence phytoplasm In a Florida based study, three phytophagous (feed on green plants) thrips and one predacious thrip were recorded on this weed (Florida). Attracts bees, butterflies and wasps (PZA). A biological control insect (Calligrapha -Calligrapha pantherina) is being used in northern parts of Australia for Sida spp. The beetle is increasingly found in other parts of Australia.