Acalypha gracilens A. Gray. Shortstalk Copperleaf, Slender Copperleaf. Phen: Late Jun-Nov. Hab: Woodlands, disturbed ground. Dist: ME west to WI, south to FL and TX.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: The related A. monococca (Engelmann ex A. Gray) Lillian W. Miller & Gandhi is of broadly Ozarkian distribution and warrants specific status (Levin 1999a, 1999b). Var. fraseri is generally more southern and is considered to differ in having more elongate staminate spikes, to 3-4 cm long (vs. 0.5-1.5 cm long). It may have merit, but was not recognized by Levin (1999a, 1999b).

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Fl2, FNA12, K1, K3, K4, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S13, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WH3, Levin (1999b); = Acalypha gracilens A.Gray ssp. gracilens; = Acalypha virginica L. var. gracilens (A.Gray) Müller of Aargau – Govaerts, Frodin, & Radcliffe-Smith (2000); > Acalypha virginica L. var. delzii Lill.W.Mill. – Tx; > Acalypha gracilens A.Gray var. fraseri (Müller of Aargau) Weath. – C, F, G, Il, S; > Acalypha gracilens A.Gray var. gracilens – C, F, G, S, Tx, Govaerts et al. (1994)

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
• Great Plains: FAC
• Midwest: FACU
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 7