FIELD ID CHARACTERISTICS:
Not irritating compared to the similar stinging nettle.
Synonym(s): Boehmeria austrina, Boehmeria decurrens, Boehmeria drummondiana, Boehmeria scabra, Urtica cylindrica
Description: Perennial herb to 1 m.
Leaves: Opposite, sometimes sub-opposite, broad, lance-shaped leaves with toothed edges. Leaves dull, not glossy. Outer veins curve inside leaf margins.
Flowers/Fruit: Spikes of small, spherical clusters borne in leaf axils. Blooms July/August, and fruits September/October.
Habit and Range: Common in low ground, swamps and wet woods throughout North Carolina.
COMMON CONFUSIONS:
Boehmeria cylindrica (false nettle) appears similar to Pilea pumila (Canadian clearweed), although flowers of Boehmeria cylindrica are in long spikes as opposed to Pilea pumila's short-branched panicles; P. pumila leaves are glossy.
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Link to side-by-side comparisons page
