Pilea tetraphylla (Steud.) Blume

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (4)

Picture: Bart Wursten
Chelinda Staff Camp, Nyika national Park.

Specimen citations: Display citations Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Adicea tetraphylla (Steud.) Kuntze Pilea hypnopilea Baker Pilea modesta Baker Pilea quadrifolia A. Rich. Pilea tetraphylla (Steud.) Blume var. hypnopilea (Baker) Léandri Pilea tetraphylla (Steud.) Blume var. major Rendle Urtica tetraphylla Steud.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Erect annual herbs. Stems to c. 20 cm. tall, fleshy, pinkish, hairless; leaves of a pair equal, increasing in size upwards, the 4 uppermost leaves appearing to form whorl at the top of the stem. Leaves ovate, 0.7–2 cm long, hairless to sparsely hairy; margin serrate with 5–12 teeth each side; petiole 2–25 mm long. Stipules broadly ovate, up to 4 mm. long, membranous, persistent. Flowers unisexual, usually on the same plant sometimes on different plants by abortion. Male inflorescences small and insignificant, in the axils of the leaves below the apical whorl, sometimes absent, sometimes with a few female flowers, or a few male flowers in the apical inflorescence; male flowers almost sessile, 2–4-merous. Apical inflorescence entirely or almost entirely female; female flowers almost sessile, with one large and 2 or 3 smaller tepals. Fruit a broadly ovoid achene c. 1.5 mm long, compressed, smooth or more or less verrucose.
Type location:	Ethiopia
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	tetraphylla: 4-leaved
Habitat:	In the humid, shady understorey of montane evergreen forest, in moist places beside boulders and in rock crevices, sometimes as a weed in gardens
Altitude range:	1650 - 2200 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in montane areas of tropical Africa and Madagascar.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca):	N
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 16 March 2019
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 280. (Includes a picture). Friis, I. (1991). Urticaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(6) Pages 96 - 98. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 82. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 101.

Other sources of information about Pilea tetraphylla:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Pilea tetraphylla
Flora of Malawi: Pilea tetraphylla
Flora of Zimbabwe: Pilea tetraphylla

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Pilea tetraphylla
African Plant Database: Pilea tetraphylla
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Pilea tetraphylla
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Pilea tetraphylla
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Pilea tetraphylla
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Pilea tetraphylla
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Pilea tetraphylla
JSTOR Plant Science: Pilea tetraphylla
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Pilea tetraphylla
Plants of the World Online: Pilea tetraphylla
Tropicos: Pilea tetraphylla
Wikipedia: Pilea tetraphylla