Cnidoscolus
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| Spurge Nettle | ||||||||||||||
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Spurge nettle (Cnidolscolus stimulosus), also known as Tread-softly and Finger Rot, is a perennial herb covered with stinging hairs, native to southeastern North America. A member of the family Euphorbiaceae (spurge family), it is not a true nettle. It prefers sandy, well-drained soil and mostly exists in pine/blackjack oak forests on sandhills, rims of Carolina bays, dunes, dry pastures, fields and roadsides.
The green leaves of this plant are alternate, consisting of three to five untoothed lobes. The large, white flowers have five pedals. Male and female flowers are on different plants. Flowers occur thoughout the spring and summer. The fruit is a small capsule that produces three large, edible seeds. The seeds are very tasty when ripe and were much used by various Indian tribes.
As the common names imply, the hairs on this plant contain a caustic irritant that inflicts a painful sting to those who contact it with bare skin. It can cause a painful, irritating rash and can cause more serious reactions with some people.
The species name stimulosus comes from the Latin stimul(us), meaning to "goad", "prod" or "urge". This plant is also known as Bullnettle and Mala mujer (Spanish for "bad woman").
References
- Cnidolscolus stimulosus (http://www.alabamaplants.com/Whitealt/Cnidoscolus_stimulosus_page.html) - a site with plant information and excellent photographs.
- Tread-Softly Nettle (http://wildflowers.jdcc.edu/Tread%20Softly%20Nettle.html)Template:Plant-stub