Tragia glabrata
Encyclopedia
The Stinging Nettle Creeper (Tragia glabrata) is a twining herb in the family Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....

, with a restricted distribution in southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...

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Distribution and habitat

It is native to the coastal areas of Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...

 and eastern coastal areas of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. These plants are found in dune forest, in woodland and on forest margins.

Description

A much-branched climbing perennial herb, with twining stems up to 2.5 m originating from a woody rootstock. The leaves are hairless or thinly hairy with serrated margins. The hairs sting fiercely. Inflorescences are up to 5.5 cm long with peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...

s up to 2 cm long. The inflorescences are composed mostly of tiny male flowers with 1–2 female flowers below or else all male.

Ecological significance

This species is one of the larval foodplants of four species of butterfly; Eurytela hiarbas
Eurytela hiarbas
The Pied Piper is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family, found in Subsaharan Africa.Wingspan: 45–50 mm in males and 48–55 mm in females. Has continuous broods peaking between November and March....

, Eurytela dryope
Eurytela dryope
The Golden Piper is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family, found in sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian peninsula and Madagascar.-Description:...

, Byblia ilithyia
Byblia ilithyia
The Joker or Spotted Joker is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in parts of Africa and Asia.-Wet-season form:...

and Byblia anvatara
Byblia anvatara
The Common Joker is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family, found in Subsaharan Africa.Wingspan: 38–43 mm in males and 40–45 mm in females. Its flight period is year-round....

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