Laportea

Gaudichaud Beaupré

Voy. Uranie 12: 498. 1830, name conserved.

Etymology: For F.L. de Laporte de Castelnau, leader of expeditions to South America
Synonyms: Urticastrum Heister ex Fabricius
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.
Revision as of 19:55, 24 September 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer

Herbs, annual or perennial, with stinging and nonstinging hairs on same plant. Stems simple, erect. Leaves alternate; stipules present. Leaf blades narrowly ovate to orbiculate, margins dentate or serrate; cystoliths rounded. Inflorescences axillary and terminal, of paniculately arranged cymes. Flowers unisexual, proximal panicles staminate and distal pistillate, or staminate and pistillate flowers in same panicle; bracts absent. Staminate flowers: tepals 4-5, distinct, equal; stamens 4-5; pistillode knoblike. Pistillate flowers: tepals 2-4, distinct, outer pair minute or absent, without hooked hairs; staminodes absent; style persistent even in fruit, hooklike or elongate; stigma extended along style. Achenes stipitate, laterally compressed, ±orbicular, free from and not enclosed by perianth. x=13.

Distribution

North America, West Indies, Central America, South America, Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands.

Discussion

Species 22 (2 in the flora).

Most species of Laportea occur in Africa and Madagascar.

Key

1 Plants with stinging hairs and stipitate-glandular hairs; base of leaf blade rounded or abruptly attenuate, auriculate; achenes less than 1.5mm. Laportea aestuans
1 Plants with stinging hairs but without stipitate-glandular hairs; base of leaf blade rounded, truncate, or broadly cuneate, not auriculate; achenes 2mm or more. Laportea canadensis
... more about "Laportea"
David E. Boufford +
Gaudichaud Beaupré +
North America +, West Indies +, Central America +, South America +, Asia +, Africa +  and Pacific Islands. +
For F.L. de Laporte de Castelnau, leader of expeditions to South America +
Voy. Uranie +
chew1969a +
Urticastrum +
Laportea +
Urticaceae +