Dendrocnide meyeniana

Dendrocnide meyeniana or the poisonous wood nettle is a species of tree in the family Urticaceae, native to the thickets and secondary forests of Taiwan and the Philippines. The specific epithet meyeniana comes from Meiyuan/眉原, a place name in Nantou County, central Taiwan.[1] Dendrocnide meyeniana is commonly referred to as the lipa tree, but more specifically lipang kalabaw or, more rarely, apariagua.[2] In Philippines, the plant is named bulan-bulan in the Iloilo province, and other areas with Bisayan languages.[2]

Lipa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Urticaceae
Genus: Dendrocnide
Species:
D. meyeniana
Binomial name
Dendrocnide meyeniana
Synonyms

Laportea meyeniana Warb.
Urtica meyeniana Walp.

The official Chinese name of Dendrocnide meyeniana is 咬人狗 (yǎo rén gǒu, biting-people-dog)[3][4] because the stinging hairs on the plant can cause people's skin pain, redness, burning or itching, which may last for several hours or even a day or two; in severe case, it may also cause skin inflammation.[5] 咬人狗 is also the name of traditional Chinese medicine. The Paiwan, an indigenous ethnic group in Taiwan, call it Bazyuru, Bazyu, Bazyuyu or Bazyaro.[3][6]

The city of Lipa, Batangas in the Philippines is named after the lipa tree. Locals distinguish it primarily by the short irritant hairs[7] on its twigs.

It is referred to as the lipa tree ("puno ng lipa" in Tagalog) or lipang kalabaw ("carabao lipa")[7] to distinguish it from Fleurya interrupta, a shrub locally named lipang aso ("dog lipa").[7] The distinction between lipang kalabaw and lipang aso is descriptive, referring to their heights.

Medicinal importance

The poisonous wood nettle may cause acute dermatitis when the skin gets into to contact with the stinging hairs on its leaves,[6] or other parts such as stems or inflorescences.[8] The fruit and receptacle are edible, but the stalk is not, because it is covered with stinging hairs.[8] The stinging hairs of D. meyeniana are short and hard to see. Although the leaves are densely covered with stinging hairs, they are invisible to the eyes.[9]

In Philippine traditional medicine, the tree's sap is prepared as a drink for improving the production of breast milk. Its roots and leaves can also be used as a diuretic.[10]

  • Axillary inflorescences. Dioecious.
    Axillary inflorescences. Dioecious.
  • Leaves alternate, clustered at the ends of the branches.
    Leaves alternate, clustered at the ends of the branches.
  • Obvious lenticels
    Obvious lenticels
  • Trunk light brown, straight.
    Trunk light brown, straight.

References
  1. "咬人狗 Dendrocnide meyeniana (Walp.) Chew 蕁麻科" (in Chinese). National Museum of Natural Science, Taiwan. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  2. "Lipa". STUARTXCHANGE. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  3. "Dendrocnide meyeniana 咬人狗 Dendrocnide meyeniana (Walp.) Chew". 國立台灣大學生態學與演化生物學研究所. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  4. "咬人狗(yǎo rén gǒu) Dendrocnide meyeniana (Walp.) Chew" (in Chinese). 中国科学院植物研究所 系统与进化植物学国家重点实验室. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  5. 林育安. "有毒植物 焮毛細小而肉眼不易察覺的咬人狗" (in Chinese). 行政院農業委員會. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  6. Ya-Ting Chang; Jiann-Jong Shen; Wen-Rou Wong; Hung-Rong Yen (2009). "Alternative Therapy for Autosensitization Dermatitis". Chang Gung Med J. 32 (6): 668–673. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.628.6388. PMID 20035647.
  7. Castro, Irma Remo (2006). A Guide to Families of Common Flowering Plants in the Philippines. UP Press. p. 176. ISBN 978-971-542-525-4. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  8. 林育安. "有毒植物 焮毛細小而肉眼不易察覺的咬人狗" (in Chinese). 行政院農業委員會. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  9. 林育安. "有毒植物 焮毛細小而肉眼不易察覺的咬人狗" (in Chinese). 行政院農業委員會. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  10. Williams, Cheryll (1 July 2012). Medicinal Plants in Australia Volume 3: Plants, Potions and Poisons. Rosenberg Publishing. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-925078-07-7. Retrieved 3 May 2022.


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