| Stinging Nettle Creeper | |
|---|---|
| Tragia glabrata from Athlone Park, Amanzimtoti, South Africa | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Tragia |
| Species: | T. glabrata |
| Binomial name | |
| Tragia glabrata (Müll. Arg.) Pax & K.Hoffm. |
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| Synonyms | |
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The Stinging Nettle Creeper (Tragia glabrata) is a twining herb in the family Euphorbiaceae,[1] with a restricted distribution in southern Africa.[2]
Contents |
It is native to the coastal areas of Mozambique and eastern coastal areas of South Africa.[1] These plants are found in dune forest,[3] in woodland and on forest margins.[1]
A much-branched climbing perennial herb, with twining stems up to 2.5 m originating from a woody rootstock.[4] The leaves are hairless or thinly hairy with serrated margins.[1] The hairs sting fiercely.[1] Inflorescences are up to 5.5 cm long with peduncles up to 2 cm long.[4] The inflorescences are composed mostly of tiny[1] male flowers with 1–2 female flowers below or else all male.[4]
This species is one of the larval foodplants of four species of butterfly; Eurytela hiarbas, Eurytela dryope, Byblia ilithyia and Byblia anvatara.[5]