Parietaria debilis G.Forst.

Urticaceae, I. Friis University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1989

Morphology General Habit

Annual, or perhaps sometimes short-lived perennial herb.

Morphology Stem

Stems prostrate, ascending or erect, occasionally scrambling (“ P. laxiflora ” and “ P. scandens ”), delicate or up to 2 m. high, sometimes rooting at the nodes, glabrous, pubescent or with short stiff hairs, occasionally with sessile or stalked reddish glands when young.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, rarely subopposite; stipules lacking; petiole 0.8 – (in “ P. laxiflora ”) ± 5 cm. long, pubescent to glabrescent; lamina broadly ovate to circular or broader than long, 0.4–10 cm. long, 0.3–4 cm. wide, base often oblique, truncate to slightly cordate, margin entire, apex obtuse or rounded, rounded, obtuse or acuminate; lateral nerves 2–3 pairs, basal pair reaching 1/2–2/3 towards the apex; both surfaces glabrous or upper surface with short stiff hairs, cystoliths punctiform, and lower surface pilose or pubescent, with longer hairs along veins and margin, where long curved hairs may be intermixed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence axillary, ± cymosely branched, up to 1.5 cm. long (in “ P. laxiflora ”), with clusters of 1–few sessile or shortly pedicellate flowers, each cluster with male and female intermixed, and bracts with glandular hairs and long curved hairs.

sex Male

Male flowers subsessile; perianth 4-merous, up to 1.5 mm. in diameter.

sex Female

Female flowers shortly pedicellate; perianth 4-merous, ± 1.5 mm. long, with minute hairs on outer surface; ovary enclosed, with protruding penicillate stigma.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Bisexual flowers with perianth bearing short hairs on outer surface, ± 1 mm. long. Female flowers shortly pedicellate; perianth 4-merous, ± 1.5 mm. long, with minute hairs on outer surface; ovary enclosed, with protruding penicillate stigma. Male flowers subsessile; perianth 4-merous, up to 1.5 mm. in diameter.

sex Hermaphrodite

Bisexual flowers with perianth bearing short hairs on outer surface, ± 1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achene ±1.5 mm. long, smooth, shiny, dark brown, long enclosed in the persistent, accrescent perianth.

Figures

Fig. 14.

Habitat

In upland rain-forest, dry montane forest, bamboo forest, and evergreen bushland, in shade under rocks and along small streams in montane grassland and upland moor; 1700–4200 m.

Distribution

in the mountains of tropical Asia, Australia and New ZealandSouth America K3 K3/K5 K4 K6 T2 U2

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial herb, erect, sometimes subscandent, up to 1 m tall, or prostrate, finely pubescent on all parts, often with glands or glandular hairs

Morphology Leaves

Petiole pubescent, up to 2.5 cm long; blade ovate, 0.3–3 x 0.2–2 cm, with scattered fine hairs above and longer soft hairs on the nerves below, base cuneate, truncate or subcordate, margin entire, apex rounded, mucronate, acute or acuminate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences sometimes loosely paniculate but mostly contracted in axillary clusters, profusely provided with lanceolate bracts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male and bisexual flowers mixed together, subsessile, 4-merous, up to 1.5 mm in diam. Female flowers with 4 tepals which are fused for c. half their length, 1–1.5 mm long, provided with ± hooked hairs

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achene pale brownish, smooth, compressed, c. 1 mm long.

Distribution

N3 (only known from the surroundings of Galgala) on high mountains throughout Africa, also on mountains in other tropical regions and widespread in warmer temperate regions.

Ecology

Altitude range 1200–1300 m.

Urticaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A slender more or less branched herb from a few inches to 1 ft. high.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 1900–3750 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Meta, Norte de Santander, Quindío, Santander.

Habit

Herb.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.

Vernacular

Palitaria, Parietaria

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 1900 - 3750 m.; Andes.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Conservation

No Evaluada

Urticaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A herb, often scandent and half-woody, with slender leafy branchlets

Ecology

In montane forest.