Boehmeria is a genus of 47 species of flowering plants in the nettle family Urticaceae. Of the species, 33 are indigenous to the Old World and 14 to the New World; no species is indigenous to both the Old and New Worlds. The species include herbaceous perennials, shrubs and small trees. Although related to the similar-looking species of the stinging nettles of genus Urtica, species of Boehmeria do not have stinging hairs. Because of the similarity in appearance, some species are commonly called "false nettles".
This genus is named in honour of the German botanist, Georg Rudolf Boehmer.
Fossil record 14 fossil fruit of †Boehmeria sibirica have been extracted from borehole samples of the Middle Miocene fresh water deposits in Nowy Sacz Basin, West Carpathians, Poland.Łańcucka-Środoniowa M.: Macroscopic plant remains from the freshwater Miocene of the Nowy Sącz Basin (West Carpathians, Poland) [Szczątki makroskopowe roślin z miocenu słodkowodnego Kotliny Sądeckiej (Karpaty Zachodnie, Polska)]. Acta Palaeobotanica 1979 20 (1): 3-117.
Cultivation and uses One species, ramie (Boehmeria nivea) is an important fibre crop. Some are also used as ornamental plants.
Boehmeria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Bedellia boehmeriella, which feeds exclusively on B. grandis.
Species , Plants of the World Online accepted the species listed below.
New World species The following species are found in the New World: Boehmeria aspera Wedd. Boehmeria balslevii Friis & Wilmot-Dear Boehmeria brevirostris Wedd. Boehmeria bullata Kunth Boehmeria burgeriana Wilmot-Dear, Friis & Kravtsova Boehmeria caudata Sw. Boehmeria celtidifolia Kunth Boehmeria cylindrica (L.) Sw. Boehmeria excelsa (Steud.) Wedd. Boehmeria pavonii Wedd. Boehmeria radiata Bürger Boehmeria ramiflora Jacq. Boehmeria repens (Griseb.) Wedd. Boehmeria spicigera Spreng. Boehmeria ulmifolia Wedd.
Old World species The following species are found in the Old World: Boehmeria beyeri C.B.Rob. Boehmeria clidemioides Miq. Boehmeria conica C.J.Chen, Wilmot-Dear & Friis Boehmeria densiflora Hook. & Arn. Boehmeria depauperata Wedd. Boehmeria didymogyne Wedd. Boehmeria × dura Satake Boehmeria × egregia Satake Boehmeria grandis (Hook. & Arn.) A.Heller Boehmeria hamiltoniana Wedd. Boehmeria helferi Blume Boehmeria heterophylla Wedd. Boehmeria holosericea Blume Boehmeria japonica (L.f.) Miq. Boehmeria × kiusiana Satake Boehmeria kurzii Hook.f. Boehmeria lanceolata Ridl. Boehmeria leptostachya Friis & Wilmot-Dear Boehmeria listeri Friis & Wilmot-Dear Boehmeria manipurensis Friis & Wilmot-Dear Boehmeria meifenggensis S.S.Ying Boehmeria multiflora C.B.Rob. Boehmeria nakashimae Yahara Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich. Boehmeria ourantha Miq. Boehmeria penduliflora Wedd. ex D.G.Long Boehmeria pilosiuscula (Blume) Hassk. Boehmeria platanifolia (Franch. & Sav.) C.H.Wright Boehmeria polystachya Wedd. Boehmeria rugosissima (Reinw. ex Blume) Miq. Boehmeria siamensis Craib Boehmeria sieboldiana Blume Boehmeria splitgerbera Koidz. Boehmeria subintegra Friis & Wilmot-Dear Boehmeria ternifolia D.Don Boehmeria tsaratananensis Leandri Boehmeria villosa C.B.Rob. Boehmeria virgata (G.Forst.) Guill. Boehmeria yaeyamensis Hatus. Boehmeria zollingeriana Wedd.
Synonyms The following names have been synonymized: Boehmeria calophleba C.Moore & F.Muell. is a synonym of Pouzolzia australis (Endl.) Friis & Wilmot-Dear. Boehmeria glomerulifera Miq. is a synonym of Boehmeria depauperata Wedd.. Boehmeria jamaicensis Urb. is a synonym of Boehmeria ramiflora Jacq.. Boehmeria macrophylla Hornem. is a synonym of Boehmeria virgata subsp. macrophylla. Boehmeria platyphylla D.Don is a synonym of Boehmeria virgata var. macrostachya.
References
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment