Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Laportea canadensis
Wood nettle
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

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F
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M
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A
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M
0
J
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J
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A
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S
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O
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N
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Dicot-herb, perennial

Roots:

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; serrate leaf margin; Pinnate leaf venation; oblong, lanceolate leaf shape

Inflorescence: dichasium

Flowers: unisexual, monoecious; 5 merous; incomplete, not petals, regular; green; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed in wet or low rich woods, valleys, usually in large stands; shaded floodplains with Acer saccharinum, Fraxinus americana, Quercus bicolor, Ulmus americana; in certain areas of NE Illinois, floor under Silver Maple dominated by this wood nettle and the exotic Glechoma hederacea; also with Acer saccharum.

ILPIN Notes: Species has stinging hairs with intense itching sensation, but not as strong as tropical American Urticaceae (Urera) or Euphorbiaceae (Cnidoscolus) - Stephens. Stephens, H.A. 1980. Poisonous Plants of the Central United States. Regent Press of Kansas. Lawrence, KA. 165 pp.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators: wind
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae: no
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 2
  • Chicago Area: 3

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