Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Plants monoecious, glabrous, lacking stinging hairs, somewhat translucent. Stems erect or ascending, simple.
- Leaves
- Cauline, opposite, simple; petiole .2 to 3.2 inches; blade ovate to elliptic, .8 to 5.2 inches long, .4 to 3.6 inches wide, margins dentate, apex acute to acuminate, 3 main veins.
- Inflorescence
- Small cymes, axillary, crowded to lax, often arranged in small panicles.
- Flower
- Unisexual, ca. 1/25 inch across, staminate and pistillate flowers in same cyme; staminate flowers usually pedicillate, tepals 4, distinct; stamens 4; pistillate flowers usually sessile, tepals 3; style 1, deciduous.
- Fruit
- Achenes, light colored or with fine purple streaks, flattened, ovate, .05 to .08 inch, partly covered by hood-like tepal.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Moist, rich woods and stream banks.
- Distribution
- East half of Kansas.
Practical Information
- Uses
- The Cherokee used the stems to alleviate itching and gave children an infusion of the plant to reduce hunger (Moerman 1998).
Additional Notes
Comments
Pilea, felt cap, alluding to the perianth covering the achene and pumila, dwarf.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Urticaceae - Nettle Family
- Life Span
- Annual
- Height
- 4-28 inches
- Origin
- Native
- Last Updated
- 2021-09-11
Color Groups
White, Green & Greenish White Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: September, October