Dendrocnide photinophylla
(Kunth) Chew
Urticaceae
Fleurya photinophylla Kunth
Laportea photinophylla (Kunth) Wedd.
Urera leichardiana Wedd.
Urticastrum photinophyllum (Kunth) Kuntze
Common Name:
Seedling plant with stinging leaves
Photograph by: Mark Marathon
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
General Information
Dendrocnide photinophylla is an evergreen shrub or tree, usually growing up to 25 metres tall, exceptionally to 40 metres[
,
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
,
993- Title
- The Gardens' Bulletin Vol. 25
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/Default.aspx
- Publisher
- Botanic Gardens; Singapore
- Year
- 1969
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical journal - this issue includes a treatment of the genera Dendrocnide and Laportea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as food and also as a source of fibre[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Known Hazards
The trees, especially when young, have stinging hairs. The sting can be intensely painful and the pain can recur, with reducing intensity, over a period of several weeks[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
]. Although significant, this is the least aggressive of the Australian stinging trees and the effect is much shorter lasting[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
,
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
Botanical References
993- Title
- The Gardens' Bulletin Vol. 25
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/Default.aspx
- Publisher
- Botanic Gardens; Singapore
- Year
- 1969
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical journal - this issue includes a treatment of the genera Dendrocnide and Laportea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
Australia - New South Wales, Queensland.
Habitat
Dense rainforest, sometimes in deep sand[
]. Grows in well developed rain forest, but is probably more common in drier, more seasonal rain forest at elevations up to 800 metres[
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 20.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Found in tropical and subtropical areas in the wild[
].
Plants in this genus are essentially lowland primary forest species preferring slightly moist and somewhat shady habitats[
310- Title
- Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://proseanet.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
A fast-growing tree[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
993- Title
- The Gardens' Bulletin Vol. 25
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/Default.aspx
- Publisher
- Botanic Gardens; Singapore
- Year
- 1969
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical journal - this issue includes a treatment of the genera Dendrocnide and Laportea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
]. Very enjoyable, the fruits have a crisp texture and an acid flavour[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
,
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
]. The fruits usually have at least some stinging hairs on them - these need to be removed before eating the fruit[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
]. This can be done quite easily by tossing a number of fruits together in a bag, thus abrading the hairs[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
]. The fruits are produced in small clusters which can fall to the ground when ripe[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The inner bark yields a good quality fibre that can be used for cordage, nets, bags etc[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The wood is extremely soft and light[
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
Propagation
Seed - germinates readily[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
Cuttings root easily[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
