Copperleaf (Acalypha wilkesiana)

Akalfa or copperleaf (Acalypha wilkesiana) is a species of plant in the Euphorbiaceae, a low shrub or tree, growing up to 3 meters long, 2 meters wide, densely packed clumps with erect stems, woody, brown bark and many branches.

A. wilkesiana has leaves of highly variable shape and are generally oval, flat or wrinkled, large and wide, toothed margins, 10-20 cm long, up to 15 cm wide, red on top, reddish green or copper on the underside.

The male and female flowers are separate and appear on the same plant. Male flowers have long thorns that hang down, female flowers have short spikes and are often hidden among the leaves. The flower stalk is 10-20 cm long.

Tropical and subtropical plants that like dry soil and temperatures above 10C. This species grows wild forming dense colonies in forests, agricultural land and abandoned places.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Acalypha
Species: Acalypha wilkesiana

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