Boehmeria cylindrica
Boehmeria nivea
false-nettle, small-spike false nettle
Chinese grass, ramie
blades elliptic, lanceolate to broadly ovate, 5-18 × 2-10 cm, almost glabrous on both surfaces or abaxially densely short-pilose or puberulent, adaxially scabrous.
blades broadly ovate to nearly orbiculate, 8-15 × 5-12 cm, abaxial surface densely white-tomentose, adaxial surface slightly scabrous.
spikelike, often leafy at apex.
panicles of moniliform (beaded) clusters, branches not leafy at apex; staminate flowers in proximal leaf axils, pistillate flowers in distil axils.
in remote or crowded clusters of 1-few staminate and several pistillate flowers or rarely staminate and pistillate flowers on different plants.
ovoid to nearly orbicular, 0.9-1.6 × 0.9-1.2 mm, almost glabrous or pubescent with straight and hooked hairs;
seeds prominent, conspicuous in outline, surrounded except at base by corky tissue.
compressed or lenticular, ovoid or ellipsoid, ca. 1.5 × ca. 0.9 mm, pubescent with straight or slightly curved hairs, uniformly smooth;
seeds not conspicuous in outline, corky tissue absent.
= 28.
Boehmeria cylindrica
Boehmeria nivea
Populations of Boehmeria cylindrica are disjunct in South America.
Plants with thick, often drooping, lanceolate leaf blades, more or less pilose or puberulent abaxially, scabrous adaxially, with short petioles, pilose or puberulent stems, and densely pubescent achenes have been called Boehmeria cylindrica var. drummondiana. These plants are found mostly, but not exclusively, in the southeastern United States and are totally sympatric with more typical plants. The above characteristics may or may not occur together, and each grades into the state found in more typical plants through abundant intermediates. Field and experimental studies are needed to clarify the biologic basis of this variation.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Boehmeria nivea, ramie, is an important source of fiber in Asia and was introduced into the United States in 1855 as a commercial crop. The fibers are exceptionally strong but difficult to extract.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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