Urticaceae 

This is a large canopy tree which grows to about 40m in height, with a trunk diameter of nearly 4.5m at the base. The trunk is deeply fluted and has thick buttresses. Bark is light in colour covered with many raised lenticels. CAUTION The hair on the leaves (and stem of young trees) is capable of inflicting an extremely painful sting which will last several hours. These trees are one of the pioneers of the forest; young seedlings grow very rapidly until they become giant trees with large buttresses.

The wood is soft and fibrous; a large tree completely rots away in two years.
Leaves:This tree is easily identified by its large, heart shaped leaves, covered with dense hairs. The leaves are often full of holes; this is caused by a beetle which eats the leaves.
Flowers:Flowers are yellow-green 
Fruit: The fruit is a small nut on an expanded fleshy stalk resembling a mulberry in colour and texture. These stalks are an important winter fruit for the Green Catbird and the Regent Bowerbird.


This tree reaches its largest size in the warm sub-tropical rainforest. 


Hauser, J. (1992) Fragments of Green - An Identification Field Guide for Rainforest Plants of the Greater Brisbane Region, Rainforest Conservation Society, Queensland.

Nan & Hugh Nicholson (1985, 1988, 1991,1994) Australian Rainforest Plants I, II, III & IV, Terania Rainforest Publishing, Australia. 

Photo: Iedema

photo: Iedema


Leaf & Fruit Diagram