The Stinging Nettle Creeper (Tragia glabrata) is a twining herb in the family Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....

, with a restricted distribution in southern Africa

Southern Africa

Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...

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Distribution and habitat

It is native to the coastal areas of Mozambique

Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...

 and eastern coastal areas of South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. These plants are found in dune forest, in woodland and on forest margins.

Description

A much-branched climbing perennial herb, with twining stems up to 2.5 m originating from a woody rootstock. The leaves are hairless or thinly hairy with serrated margins. The hairs sting fiercely. Inflorescences are up to 5.5 cm long with peduncle

Peduncle (botany)

In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...

s up to 2 cm long. The inflorescences are composed mostly of tiny male flowers with 1–2 female flowers below or else all male.

Ecological significance

This species is one of the larval foodplants of four species of butterfly; Eurytela hiarbas

Eurytela hiarbas

The Pied Piper is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family, found in Subsaharan Africa.Wingspan: 45–50 mm in males and 48–55 mm in females. Has continuous broods peaking between November and March....

, Eurytela dryope

Eurytela dryope

The Golden Piper is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family, found in sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian peninsula and Madagascar.-Description:...

, Byblia ilithyia

Byblia ilithyia

The Joker or Spotted Joker is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in parts of Africa and Asia.-Wet-season form:...

and Byblia anvatara

Byblia anvatara

The Common Joker is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family, found in Subsaharan Africa.Wingspan: 38–43 mm in males and 40–45 mm in females. Its flight period is year-round....

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