Common Name:

General Information

Urera trinervis is a vigorous climbing plant with stinging hairs, producing stems that can be up to 60 metres long and 7cm in diameter[]. It attaches itself to other plants for support by means of adventitious roots[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for its fibre, edible leaves and medicinal uses. It is sometimes cultivated near villages for its fibre[, ].

Known Hazards

The plant has stinging hairs, though usually only on the inflorescences[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Ghana east to south-western Ethiopia, and south to South Africa

Habitat

Rainforest, riverine forest and coastal forest, especially at forest edges and in clearings, sometimes epiphytic, at elevations up to 1,600 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Climber
Height	50.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Presumably a dioecious species, in which case both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[, ].

The stems, when cut, yield a potable water[, ].

Medicinal

The leaves are chewed and the juice swallowed in order to treat bilious disorders[]. The leaf-sap is drunk to treat intestinal disorders[].
The leaves are used externally to treat scabies[].

The stems, when cut, yield a potable water[]. This is sometimes drunk to treat tachycardia[, ].

Other Uses

The bark fibre is used for making ropes[, ]. It is highly valued for making fishing lines[].

The powdered leaves are used in pottery[].

Propagation

Seed -

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