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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Family: Urticaceae (nettle family)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids > Eurosid I > Order: Rosales

Fifty-four genera and 2625 species (worldwide, mainly tropics); 14 genera and 31 species native to southern Africa, three species are naturalised, and an additional two genera and 10 species are cultivated in the region.

Genera native to southern Africa

List from Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI).

Boehmeria

About 80 species distributed in the tropics, of which one species is native to southern Africa. An additional species is cultivated in the region.

Didymodoxa

Two species: Didymodoxa caffra and Didymodoxa capensis, both of which are native to southern Africa, but with the distribution extending as far north as Ethiopia.

 

Droguetia

Seven species, native to Africa, Madagascar, Mascarenes, India and Java). Droguetia ambigua and Droguetia iners (see Flora of Zimbabwe) are native to southern Africa.

 

Elatostema

About 300 species (Old World), of which one Elatostema monticola is native to southern Africa (Zimbabwe and Mozambique).

 

Forsskaolea

Six species, native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Spain, India and Africa. Three species are native to southern Africa.

 

Girardinia

Two species, native to mountains of the Old World tropics including West Africa, Madagascar and Asia. Girardinia diversifolia is native to southern Africa. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Laportea

About 50 species, mainly tropical but also extending into temperate North America and East Asia. Seven species are native to southern Africa.

Laportea grossa

Obetia

About eight species (Africa, Madagascar, the Mascarene and Aldabra Islands); two species are native to southern Africa: Obetia carruthersiana (Angola tree nettle) and Obetia tenax (Rock tree nettle) (see Flora of Zimbabwe).

 

Parietaria

About 20 species, native to temperate and tropical regions; Parietaria debilis is native to southern Africa. Parietaria officinalis (Erect pellitory-of-the-wall) is native to central and southern Europe and is cultivated in southern Africa.

 

Pilea

About 250 species, native to tropical and subtropical regions but not Australia and New Zealand. Four species are native to southern Africa, Pilea microphylla is naturalised, and a further three species are cultivated in the region.

 

Pouzolzia

About 35-40 species, native mainly to the Old World tropics. Pouzolzia mixta (Soap nettle) (see Flora of Zimbabwe) and Pouzolzia parasitica (see Flora of Zimbabwe) are native to southern Africa.

 

Procris

Sixteen species distributed in the Old World tropics, of which one Procris crenata is native to southern Africa (Zimbabwe). See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Urera

About 40 species, native to tropical Africa, Madgascar, tropical America and the Pacific Islands. Three species are native to southern Africa and Urera baccifera is cultivated in the region.

 

Urtica

About 50 species, native mainly to north temperate regions but also in the tropics and south temperate regions. Urtica lobulata is native to southern Africa; Urtica dioica (Stinging nettle) and Urtica urens are naturalised, and Urtica pilulifera is cultivated in the region.

Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002).

Pellionia

Two species cultivated: Pellionia daveauana and Pellionia repens (native from Vietnam to Malaysia).

 

Soleirolia soleirolii (Helxine, Mother-of-thousands)

Native to the western Mediterranean.

 

Publications

  • Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.