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.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA03 P76 Urtica Hesperocnide Laportea pg 404.jpegHesperocnide tenella
Laportea canadensis
Urtica chamaedryoides
Urtica dioica subsp. gracilis
Urtica dioica subsp. dioica
Urtica dioica subsp. holosericea
John Myers
John Myers
John Myers
John Myers
John Myers
John Myers

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.

Selected References

None.

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"
orbicular +  and compressed +
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 +
reflexing +  and inflexed +
pistillate +  and staminate +
loosely +  and free +
narrowly ovate +  and orbiculate +
serrate +  and dentate +
rounded +  and linear +
accrescent +
staminate +  and pistillate +
Voy. Uranie +
4 +  and 5 +
extended +
persistent +
elongate +  and hooklike +
Urticastrum +
Laportea +
Urticaceae +
reddish +, greenish +, green +  and white +
distinct +
hypogynous +
2 +  and 4 +
perennial +  and annual +