Pilea microphylla
(L.) Liebm.
Urticaceae
Adicea microphylla Kuntze
Chamaecnide microphylla Nees ex Miq.
Dubrueilia microphylla (L.) Gaudich.
Parietaria microphylla L.
Pilea muscosa Lindl.
Pilea portula Liebm.
Pilea serpyllacea (Kunth) Liebm.
Pilea succulenta Hook. f.
Pilea trianthemoides microphylla (L.) Wedd.
Urtica herniarifolia Willd.
Urtica microphylla (L.) Sw.
Urtica portulacoides Spreng.
Urtica serpyllacea Kunth
Common Name: Artillery Plany
General Information
Pilea microphylla is an evergreen, ground-covering annual to short-lived perennial plant forming a dense mat of growth around 30cm high and up to 60cm wide[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
,
352- Title
- KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
].
The plant is somtimes harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. An attractive plant with its fern-like appearance, it is often grown as a ground-cover in ornamental gardens and is also grown as a house plant in cooler zones.
Known Hazards
Although a member of the stinging nettle family (Urticaceae), members of this genus do not have stinging hairs[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Botanical References
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
,
468- Title
- The Bahama Flora
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton N.L.; Millspaugh C.F.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Britton N.L.; Millspaugh C.F., New York.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical description, often accompanied by the plants habitat, of the Flora of the Bahamas.
Range
S. America - throughout, except for Chile, Uruguay; C. America - Panama to Mexico; Caribbean - Trinidad to the Bahamas and southeast N. America.
Habitat
On walls and in waste, rocky places in Bermuda[
468- Title
- The Bahama Flora
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton N.L.; Millspaugh C.F.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Britton N.L.; Millspaugh C.F., New York.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical description, often accompanied by the plants habitat, of the Flora of the Bahamas.
]. Moist or wet, shaded banks, often on old walls of masonry or adobe, or in moist soil about dwellings, frequent among cobblestones of streets; at elevations up to 1,600 metres[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Annual/Perennial |
| Height | 0.30 m |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a position in partial shade[
352- Title
- KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
]. Requires a moist but well-drained soil, and can tolerate short periods of soil inundation[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
,
352- Title
- KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
]. Tolerant of a range of soil types[
309- Title
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/
- Publisher
- University of Florida
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- PDF fact sheets on over 500 shrubs.
].
Male flowers explosively discharge pollen into the air, hence one of the common names for this plant of 'artillery plant'[
352- Title
- KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
An infusion of the entire plant is used as a diuretic[
345- Title
- Minor Products of Philippine Forests
- Publication
-
- Author
- Brown. W. H.
- Publisher
- Bureau of Forestry, Manilla.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A useful guide to some of the plants of the area, though terse on details. The book is out of copyright and can be legally downloaded from the Internet.
].
The crushed leaves are applied commonly to sores and bruises to heal them[
331- Title
- Flora of Guatemala
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1946 - 1976
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].
Agroforestry Uses:
In its native habitat, the plant may spread to as much as 60cm wide and is sometimes massed in tropical gardens as a ground cover[
352- Title
- KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
Stem tip cuttings root easily[
352- Title
- KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
