Clearweed | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Rosales |
Family: | Urticaceae |
Genus: | Pilea |
Species: | P. pumila |
Binomial name | |
Pilea pumila (L.) A.Gray | |
Pilea pumila, commonly known as clearweed, [1] Canadian clearweed, coolwort or richweed, [2] is an herbaceous plant in the nettle family (Urticaceae). It is native to Asia and eastern North America, where it is broadly distributed. [1] [3] [4]
This plant is most often found in rich loamy soil, usually in moist to wet areas. Its natural habitat is in forests or other lightly shaded conditions. [5] It is a common plant throughout its range, and forms large colonies where it is found. It grows in both high-quality habitats and in ecologically degraded areas. Due to its high tolerance for disturbance, it is often seen near buildings and as a garden weed. [3]
Pilea pumila is an erect annual, growing 0.7 to 70 cm tall. [1] The foliage is opposite, simple with dentate margins, wrinkly (with depressed veins), ovate, and with long petioles. Both the leaves and stems are translucent and bright green, turning bright yellow in autumn. The flowers are small, borne in axillary cymes, unisexual with both genders occurring on the same plant, greenish yellow, and pollinated by wind. Flowers bloom from midsummer through early autumn. Fruits (achenes) are green with purple markings. Roots are fibrous, shallow, and adventitious off the stem in moist areas or when in contact with the soil.
The plant is often mistaken for stinging nettle ( Urtica dioica ), but can be distinguished by the lack of trichomes, or stinging hairs, and the lower amount of branching of the inflorescences. [5]
Three varieties of Pilea pumila are currently recognized. They are: [3]
Among the typical widespread variety pumila, minor differences do exist between the Asian and North American populations. Further taxonomic studies are needed to clarify what level of rank (if any) these differences warrant. [1]
Canadian clearweed is edible, but unpalatable. [6] [7] The plant can be used in classroom demonstrations of transpiration using food coloring due to its translucent stem. [2] [5] It was reportedly used medicinally by certain Native Americans for sinus issues, itch relief and to reduce hunger, [1] and it is sometimes used as a diuretic in Asia. [3]
The plant is host to various caterpillars, including the leaf-mining larvae of Cosmopterix pulchrimella , as well as the aphid Pseudasiphonaphis corni and leafhopper Empoasca recurvata . [2]
Urtica dioica, often known as common nettle, burn nettle, stinging nettle or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Originally native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa, it is now found worldwide, including New Zealand and North America. The species is divided into six subspecies, five of which have many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation upon contact.
Lamium (dead-nettles) is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae, of which it is the type genus. They are all herbaceous plants native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, but several have become very successful weeds of crop fields and are now widely naturalised across much of the temperate world.
Rosa multiflora — is a species of rose known commonly as multiflora rose, baby rose, Japanese rose, many-flowered rose, seven-sisters rose, Eijitsu rose and rambler rose. It is native to eastern Asia, in China, Japan, and Korea. It should not be confused with Rosa rugosa, which is also known as "Japanese rose", or with polyantha roses which are garden cultivars derived from hybrids of R. multiflora. It was introduced to North America, where it is regarded as an invasive species.
Lamium purpureum, known as red dead-nettle, purple dead-nettle, or purple archangel, is an annual herbaceous flowering plant native to Europe and Asia.
Rumex crispus, the curly dock, curled dock or yellow dock, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae, native to Europe and Western Asia.
Stachys is a genus of plants, one of the largest in the mint family Lamiaceae. Estimates of the number of species vary from about 300, to about 450. Stachys is in the subfamily Lamioideae and its type species is Stachys sylvatica. The precise extent of the genus and its relationship to other genera in the subfamily are poorly known.
Persicaria maculosa is an annual plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Common names include lady's thumb, spotted lady's thumb, Jesusplant, and redshank. It is widespread across Eurasia from Iceland south to Portugal and east to Japan. It is also present as an introduced and invasive species in North America, where it was first noted in the Great Lakes region in 1843 and has now spread through most of the continent.
Caltha palustris, known as marsh-marigold and kingcup, is a small to medium size perennial herbaceous plant of the buttercup family, native to marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It flowers between April and August, dependent on altitude and latitude, but occasional flowers may occur at other times.
Cornus canadensis is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae, native to eastern Asia and North America. Common names include Canadian dwarf cornel, Canadian bunchberry, quatre-temps, crackerberry, and creeping dogwood. Unlike its relatives, which are for the most part substantial trees and shrubs, C. canadensis is a creeping, rhizomatous perennial growing to about 20 centimetres tall.
Rudbeckia laciniata, the cutleaf coneflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to North America, where it is widespread in both Canada and the United States. Its natural habitat is wet sites in flood plains, along stream banks, and in moist forests. Common names other than cutleaf coneflower include cutleaf, goldenglow, green-headed coneflower, tall coneflower, sochan and thimbleweed.
Lamium album, commonly called white nettle or white dead-nettle, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is native throughout Europe and Asia, growing in a variety of habitats from open grassland to woodland, generally on moist, fertile soils.
Viola sororia, known commonly as the common blue violet, is a short-stemmed herbaceous perennial plant that is native to eastern North America. It is known by a number of common names, including common meadow violet, purple violet, woolly blue violet, hooded violet, and wood violet.
Pilea, with 600–715 species, is the largest genus of flowering plants in the nettle family Urticaceae.
Juncus bufonius, known commonly as toad rush, is a widespread flowering plant species complex in the rush family Juncaceae.
Pilea fontana, the lesser clearweed, is an herbaceous plant which is very similar to Pilea pumila. They can be distinguished by the appearance of the mature achenes. The bloom season runs from July to September and the plant can be seen throughout the Northeastern US and Canada. The fruit is a flattened, teardrop-shaped up to 1/6 inch long and 75-85% as wide.
Laportea canadensis, commonly called Canada nettle or wood-nettle, is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant of the nettle family Urticaceae, native to eastern and central North America. It is found growing in open woods with moist rich soils and along streams and in drainages.
Aglais milberti, the fire-rim tortoiseshell or Milbert's tortoiseshell, is considered the only species of the proposed Aglais genus that occurs in North America.
Geranium potentilloides, belongs to the family Geraniaceae, and is a small prostrate perennial herb that can grow up to 60cm high. The species is commonly referred to as Soft Cranesbill or Cinquefoil geranium.
Vaccinium oxycoccos is a species of flowering plant in the heath family. It is known as small cranberry, marshberry, bog cranberry, swamp cranberry, or, particularly in Britain, just cranberry. It is widespread throughout the cool temperate northern hemisphere, including northern Europe, northern Asia and northern North America.
Solidago ulmifolia, commonly known as elmleaf goldenrod, is a North American species of goldenrod in the family Asteraceae. It is found in Canada and the eastern and central United States.