Common Name:

General Information

Laportea mooreana is a sparsely branched, annual plant, that may sometimes live for more than one year. It grows 1 - 2 metres tall, with the stem becoming more or less woody at the base. The whole plant frequently has stinging hairs around 1 - 2mm long[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of fibre and food. It used to be cultivated for its fibre in Nigeria, particularly for the production of fishing nets[].

Known Hazards

The plant is covered in stinging hairs[]. Drying or cooking the leaves destroys their sting[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - northern Nigeria to Uganda and Tanzania, south to Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, avoiding the wetter regions.

Habitat

Undergrowth of rainforest, in riverine vegetation, on moist rocks in woodland or wooded grassland, and as a ruderal of waste places, at elevations from 900 - 1,600 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	1.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Young leaves - cooked[]. Boiled and eaten as a relish, or cooked with bananas[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A fibre is obtained from the bark[]. It is used to make cordage and string[].

Propagation

Seed -

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