Pilea usambarensis Engl.
var. usambarensis

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Photo: Mark Hyde
SRGH

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Erect or ascending herb, likely to be perennial, with stems up to 50 cm long. Leaves opposite, often with one longer petiolate than the other, ovate (in this variety), mostly up to 3 cm long but sometimes longer, with scattered stiff hairs or hairless above, hairless or finely velvety beneath; margin coarsely toothed, mostly with 5-9 teeth on each side; petiole up to 5 cm long; stipules ovate or rim-like, up to 2.5 mm long. Inflorescences usually two together in the upper leaf axils, unisexual on the same plant. Flowers in stalked heads or interrupted spikes.
Type location:	Tanzania
Notes:	The material from Malawi is distinguished by its ovate leaves. Two other varieties are recognised which occur in Kenya and Tanzania and are distinguished by either subcircular or elliptic-lanceolate leaves.
Derivation of specific name:	usambarensis: of the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania
Habitat:	In deep shade on the forest floor or as a low-level epiphyte on trunks of tree ferns in montane evergreen forest.
Altitude range: (metres)	1800 m (approx)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and possibly Zimbabwe.
National distribution:	N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Friis, I. (1991). Urticaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(6) Page 100. as Pilea usambarensis 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. as P. usambarensis var veronicifolia

Other sources of information about Pilea usambarensis var. usambarensis:

Our websites:

Flora of Zimbabwe: Pilea usambarensis var. usambarensis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Pilea usambarensis
African Plant Database: Pilea usambarensis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Pilea usambarensis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Pilea usambarensis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Pilea usambarensis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Pilea usambarensis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Pilea usambarensis
JSTOR Plant Science: Pilea usambarensis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Pilea usambarensis
Plants of the World Online: Pilea usambarensis
Tropicos: Pilea usambarensis
Wikipedia: Pilea usambarensis