Flora of Dominica, Part 2 - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 77 URTICACEAE
221
Gommier (Ernst 20863, Freshwater Lake (Smith 10260), Jean
(Ernst 1813, Laudat (Lloyd 50), Lisdara (Hodge 641, 2406,
2411, 2464), Massacre Falls (Hodge 1024), Morne Anglais
(Hodge 640), Morne Bruce in Roseau (Hodge 642), Morne
Diablotins (Nicolson 1915, 1916, Webster 13337), Morne
Micotrin (Ernst 1775, Wilbur 7452), Mosquito Mountain
(Webster 13535, 135363, Point Lo10 (Ernst 12063, Pont Casse
(Long & Norstog 3403, Wilbur 7815), Salybia (Hodge 3239),
South Chiltern (Ernst 1313, Hodge 1543, Syndicate (Ernst
2018, Hodge 2888, 2894, Whitefoord 3617, 3618), Trafalgar
Falls (Hodge 1996).
After surveying US materials of the Pilea pubescens-P.
caribaea-Z? obtusata-€! inaequalis complex, I concluded: (1)
P. pubescem Liebmann (type from Brazil) occurs from South
through Central America reaching Cuba and the southern
Lesser Antilles (where it is called P. caribuea Urban). This
species tends to have rotund to subcordate leaf-bases. (2)
Specimens with more obtuse to cuneate leaf-bases tend to be
annotated as P. inaequalis if they are smallish and as P.
obtusata Liebmann if they are larger.
Pilea microphylla
Pilea microphylla (Linnaeus) Liebmann, 185 1:296.
Parietaria microphylla Linnaeus, 1759a: 1308.
Urtica trianthemoides Swam, 1787a:68.
Pilea microphylla var. trianthemoides (Swam) Grisebach, 1860:155.
Glabrous, spreading to erect, monoecious or dioecious herbs
to 3 dm; leaves elliptic to obovate.
Neotropics: in Dominica in moist, disturbed areas (including
masonry) to 550 m: Baiac (Whitefoord 5460), Clarke Hall
(Ernst 1697), Delices (Whitefoord 3674), Grand Bay (Whitefoord
6080), Hatton Garden (Hodge 3013), Laudat (Lloyd 230),
Lisdara (Hodge 633, Loubi8re (Hodge 3873), Mt. Joy (Hodge
12963, Ridgefield (Hodge 2171), South Chiltern (Hodge 1533,
Sylvania (Hodge 638).
Adjanohoun et al. (1985183, pl. 150) reported use of tea
against colic.
Larger specimens (Hodge 1537,3013,3873) are sometimes
identified as P. microphylla var. trianthemoides and smaller
ones (Hodge 1296, 2171) as var. microphylla. The difference
may be habitat rather than genetic.
Pilea n ummulari~olia
Pilea nummulariifolia (Swam) Weddell, 1852:255, “nummularioefolia.”
Urtica nwnmulariifdia Swartz, 1787a:63, pl. 1, “nummularifolia.”
Repent, dioecious herb with stems rooting at nodes; leaves
rotund, serrate but with rounded teeth.
Neotropics; in Dominica in disturbed areas to 500 m: Grand
Bay (Wilbur 7922), South Chiltern (Hodge 3880, 1591),
Trafalgar Falls (Ernst 1085).
Pilea parietada
Pilea parietaria (Linnaeus) Blume, 1856,248.
Urtica parietaria Linnaeus, 1753:985.
Urtica ciliaris Linnaeus, 1759a:1266.
Pilea ciliaris (Linnaeus) Weddell, 1852:209.-Grisebach, 1860:156.
Erect, monoecious herbs to 6 dm; leaves elliptic, lanceovate,
or ovate; male inflorescence capitate, female branching.
Neotropics; common in Dominica in moist, shady areas from
midlands to elfin woodland, 400-1400 m: Bellevue (King
6307), Castle Bruce (Cowan 1603, Freshwater Lake-Laudat
area (Chambers 2673, Eggers 841, Ernst 1771, 2166), Hodge
1772, 1781, 1862, 1878, Lloyd 163, Nicolson 2103, Smith
10233, Whitefoord 3858, Wilbur 74363, Massacre River
waterfalls (Hodge 1023), Morne Anglais (Hodge 2267,2271,
2304, Nicolson 41 03), Mom Diablotins (Chambers 2639,
Hodge 2801, Webster 13335, Whitefoord 4559, 572@, Mome
Plat Pays (Hodge 1662), Trois Pitons (Ernst 1214, Hodge 1391,
1418), Springfield (Wilbur 7690), Syndicate (Ernst 2013, sine
loc. (lway 373 at GH).
Ernst 1214 from the summit of Trois Pitons may be a new
species, teste Dr. Howard. Whitefoord specimens (3858 and
4559) were determined by Kellogg in 1985 as Pilea rivoriae
Weddell. Kellogg (in Howard, 1988, 4:79) keys €! parietaria
as having “inflorescences < leaves; bracts of staminate
inflorescences minute” and P. rivoirae as having “inflorescences
> leaves; bracts of staminate inflorescences > 1 mm
long.”
Pilea semidentata
Pilea semidentata (Poiret) Weddell, 1852:215.
Urtica semidentata Jussieu ex Poiret in Lamarck, 1816, Encycl., Suppl., 4:222.
Pilea elegans Weddell, 1852:215.-Grisebach, 1860:157.
Pilea semidentata var. major Weddellin A.P. Candolle. 1869, 16142.
Erect, monoecious herb to 5 dm; leaves succulent, elliptic to
oblanceolate, serrate near and above middle, the lower portion
sometimes entire, blades to 11 cm long.
West Indies: in Dominica on coastal and inland exposed
slopes and stream banks to 550 m: Anse du Me (Wilbur 8044),
Baiac (Whitefoord 461.5). Boetica River (Ernst 1909, 1916),
Brookhill (Ernst 1158), Clarke Hall (Stern & Wasshausen
24063, Colihaut (Ernst 2112), Grand Bay (Wilbur 7920),
Laudat (Lloyd 362), Layou River Valley (Webster 13279),
Ravine Grassa (Webster 13452), Roseau River (Beard 1129),
Salybia (Hodge 6363, Trafalgar Falls (Hodge 639).
Adjanohoun et al. (1985185, pl. 152) reported this plant is
said to be toxic to man.
Rousselia Gaudichaud
Ro usselia h umilk
Rowselia hwnilir (Swartz) Urban, 1905,4:205.
Urtica humilis Swam, 1785:34.
Urtica loppulacea Swaltz, 1787:69.