- Source: Dendrocnide meyeniana
Dendrocnide meyeniana or the poisonous wood nettle is a species of tree in the family Urticaceae, native to the thickets and secondary forests of Taiwan and the Philippines. The specific epithet meyeniana honors Franz Meyen, who collected the type specimen in Manila during his world cruise.
In the Philippines, the city of Lipa in Batangas is named after this plant. Locals distinguish it primarily by the short stinging hairs on its twigs.
In Taiwanese Mandarin, it is widely known as yǎoréngǒu, a name which has been used since the early Qing period referring to the skin irritation or inflammation its stinging hairs may cause. Among the Paiwan people, and Puyuma people of Taiwan, both ethnic groups have the custom of whipping adolescents with the plant as a rite of passage or a corporal punishment.
Medicinal importance
The poisonous wood nettle may cause acute dermatitis when the skin gets into contact with the stinging hairs on its leaves, or other parts such as stems or inflorescences. The fruit and receptacle are edible, but the stalk is not, because it is covered with stinging hairs. The stinging hairs of D. meyeniana are short and hard to see. Although the leaves are densely covered with stinging hairs, they are invisible to the eyes.
In Philippine traditional medicine, the tree's sap is prepared as a drink for improving the production of breast milk. Its roots and leaves can also be used as a diuretic.
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References
External links
Media related to Dendrocnide meyeniana at Wikimedia Commons
