Tragia urticifolia
Tragia nepetifolia
nettle-leaf noseburn
catnip noseburn
erect, green, apex never flexuous.
erect to trailing, green to reddish green, apex never flexuous.
petiole 3–15 mm;
blade triangular-lanceolate, 2.7–6.7 × 1–3 cm, base truncate to cordate, margins serrate, apex acute.
petiole 3–25(–41) mm;
blade triangular to ovate [linear], proximal broadly ovate to sometimes suborbiculate, 1.8–5 × 0.9–3.6 cm, often red-green, base truncate to cordate, margins coarsely dentate to coarsely serrate, apex acute.
terminal (appearing leaf opposed), glands absent, staminate flowers 11–40 per raceme, evenly distributed; staminate bracts 1–1.5 mm.
terminal (often appearing leaf opposed), glands sessile or absent, staminate flowers 8–40 per raceme, distally clustered [evenly distributed]; staminate bracts 1.3–1.6 mm.
staminate 1.5–2 mm, persistent base 1–1.8 mm, longer than subtending bract; pistillate 3–4 mm in fruit.
staminate 1.4–1.7 mm, persistent base 0.5–0.7 mm; pistillate 2.9–3.3 mm in fruit.
sepals 3, green, 1.2–2.1 mm;
stamens 3, filaments 0.3–0.8 mm.
sepals 3–4, reddish green, 1–2 mm;
stamens 3–4, filaments 0.3–0.6 mm.
sepals lanceolate-ovate, 1.3–2.3 mm;
styles connate 1/3 length;
stigmas papillate.
sepals lanceolate [ovate], 1.4–2.3 mm;
styles connate 1/4–1/3 length;
stigmas papillate.
7–8 mm wide.
6–8 mm wide.
dark brown, 3–4 mm.
brownish black, 3–4 mm.
= 44.
Tragia urticifolia
Tragia nepetifolia
Plants of Tragia urticifolia are easily distinguished from those of other non-glandular North American members of Tragia by the persistent bases of its staminate pedicels, which are long-extended beyond their subtending bracts. Although similar to T. betonicifolia, T. urticifolia has fewer stems, shorter pistillate sepals, inflorescences with fewer staminate flowers that are not distally clustered, and leaf blades with very light green abaxial surfaces.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Tragia nepetifolia is typically found at high elevations in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Since it was described more than 200 years ago, many collections of Tragia in Mexico and the United States have been identified mistakenly as this species.
Tragia nepetifolia includes four varieties in Mexico, but none match plants occurring in the United States. These most closely resemble var. dissecta Müller Arg. of western Mexico, sharing inflorescences with distally clustered staminate flowers and a tendency toward reddish coloration, but differing in that their leaf blades are not as deeply toothed.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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