Dendrocnide moroides

Image of stinging tree

(Gympie Gympie, Stinger)

FAMILY

Urticaceae

Species

Dendrocnide moroides

Common name(s0

Gympie Gympie, Stinger

Flower colour; life form

Flowers greenish; shrub

Campus

Cairns

Description

This shrub has peltate, broadly ovate leaves with serrated margins and numerous stinging hairs. Dendrocnide cordifolia which occurs on the Atherton Tablelands is similar but the leaves are not peltate. Flowers small in panicles, staminal filaments long and flexible and pollen is released explosively. The ‘fruit’ is formed by the fleshy swollen receptacle surrounding the seed, dark pink, edible, BUT watch the hairs.