What is "laportea"

Laportea is a genus of plants in the family Urticaceae.

They are herbaceous, either annual or perennial. Like many plants of the Urticaceae, they have stinging hairs, and have stinging and non-stinging hairs on the same plant.

The genus contains 22 species, including:

• Laportea aestuans (L.) Chew. - West Indian woodnettle
• Laportea canadensis (L.) Weddell. - Canadian woodnettle
• Laportea cuneata (A. Rich.) Chew. - Weedy woodnettle
• Laportea cuspidata
• Laportea interrupta (L.) Chew. - Hawaiian woodnettle
• Laportea pterostigma Weddell. - Poisonous woodnettle
• Laportea urentissima Gagnep.

The genus was named after the French naturalist François Louis de la Porte, comte de Castelnau.