Family Urticaceae
Synonyms: Cecropiaceae APNI*
Description: Herbs, shrubs or soft-wooded trees, rarely climbers; monoecious, dioecious, or polygamous; frequently with specialized stinging hairs.
Leaves opposite or alternate, simple; stipules present.
Inflorescences usually axillary, basically cymose, paniculate or spicate or flowers in head-like clusters. Flowers actinomorphic or nearly so, unisexual, small, individually inconspicuous. Male flowers with 4 or 5 sepals and as many stamens, rarely only 1, anthers 2-locular, dehiscing by longitudinal slits; sterile ovary often present. Female flowers with 0, 4 or 5 sepals; scale-like staminodes sometimes present; ovary superior, 1-locular with a single style.
Fruit often laterally compressed, mostly an achene, rarely drupaceous.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 45 genera, c. 550 species, widespread, chiefly tropical & temperate regions. Australia: 11 genera, 20 species, all States, chiefly Qld & N.S.W.
External links:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Family: Urticaceae, Order: Rosales)
Wikipedia The family is of little economic importance except for Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich. that produces ramie fibre, and some herbaceous species that are cultivated as ornamentals.
Text by G. J. Harden
Taxon concept:
Taxa not yet included in identification key
Pouzolzia
| | Key to the genera | |
| 1 | Shrubs or trees | 2 |
| Herbs, sometimes woody at base | 5 |
| 2 | Leaves opposite | Boehmeria |
| Leaves alternate
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Leaf lamina peltate; introduced tree | Cecropia |
| Leaf lamina not peltate, petiole attached to base of lamina
Back to 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Leaves green on both surfaces; stinging hairs present on all parts of plant, though sometimes sparse | Dendrocnide |
| Leaves whitish grey below; stinging hairs absent
Back to 3 | Pipturus |
| 5 | Leaves alternate | 6 |
| Leaves opposite
Back to 1 | 9 |
| 6 | Leaves toothed or crenate | 7 |
| Leaves entire
Back to 5 | 8 |
| 7 | Leaves with lamina asymmetric, curved, sessile or almost so | Elatostema |
| Leaves with lamina symmetric, petiole c. as long as the lamina
Back to 6 | Australina |
| 8 | Leaves more than 10 mm long | Parietaria |
| Leaves less than 5 mm long
Back to 6 | Soleirolia |
| 9 | Leaves more than 10 mm long, toothed; stinging hairs present | Urtica |
| Leaves less than 5 mm long, entire; stinging hairs absent
Back to 5 | Pilea |
|
