Home | > | List of families | > | Urticaceae | > | Pilea | > | tetraphylla |
Synonyms: |
Adicea tetraphylla (Steud.) Kuntze Pilea hypnopilea Baker Pilea modesta Baker Pilea quadrifolia A. Rich. Pilea tetraphylla (Steud.) Blume var. hypnopilea (Baker) Léandri Pilea tetraphylla (Steud.) Blume var. major Rendle Urtica tetraphylla Steud. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Erect annual herbs. Stems to c. 20 cm. tall, fleshy, pinkish, hairless; leaves of a pair equal, increasing in size upwards, the 4 uppermost leaves appearing to form whorl at the top of the stem. Leaves ovate, 0.7–2 cm long, hairless to sparsely hairy; margin serrate with 5–12 teeth each side; petiole 2–25 mm long. Stipules broadly ovate, up to 4 mm. long, membranous, persistent. Flowers unisexual, usually on the same plant sometimes on different plants by abortion. Male inflorescences small and insignificant, in the axils of the leaves below the apical whorl, sometimes absent, sometimes with a few female flowers, or a few male flowers in the apical inflorescence; male flowers almost sessile, 2–4-merous. Apical inflorescence entirely or almost entirely female; female flowers almost sessile, with one large and 2 or 3 smaller tepals. Fruit a broadly ovoid achene c. 1.5 mm long, compressed, smooth or more or less verrucose. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | tetraphylla: 4-leaved |
Habitat: | In the humid, shady understorey of montane evergreen forest, in moist places beside boulders and in rock crevices, sometimes as a weed in gardens |
Altitude range: | 1650 - 2400 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in montane areas of tropical Africa and Madagascar. |
Malawi distribution: | N,C |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Saturday 16 March 2019 |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 280. (Includes a picture). Friis, I. (1991). Urticaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(6) Pages 96 - 98. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 82. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 101. |
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