Previous plant

Obetia ficifolia

Next plant
Author of this page: Clément Duret.

Author: Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré, 1844
Family:  URTICACEAE
Origin:  Réunion and Rodrigues Islands (Rep. of Mauritius)
Soil:  Mix
Water:  Minimum - Medium
Sun:  Maximum
Thickness:  40 Centimetres
Height:  3-5 Metres
Flower:  White
Propagate:  Seeds/Cuttings
Names:  In Réunion: Bois d'Ortie, L'Ortie, Grande Ortie. In Rodrigues: Figue Marron.
Synonyms:  Urtica ficifolia, Savigny, 1798.
Urera ficifolia, Gaudich. ex Wedd.
Urtica sycophylla,
Bory.

All info on this page is provided by Clément Duret´s two year study of this species in the wild.
This member of the Urticaceae family was first described by Savigny in 1798, then renamed by Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré in 1844. Obetia ficifolia is endemic to Réunion and Rodriguez Islands. On Réunion Island, the species grows mainly in the lee regions at low and middle altitude, generally on rock-cliffs, on basalt rampart-formations, and in ravines. It is distributed over areas principally in the north, north-west and south, south-east of the island, at altitudes between 15 and 800 metres above sea level. The adult specimen can grow to between three and five meters in height and its trunk may attain a diameter of thirty to forty centimetres or more. Thyrsoid inflorescences are generally well-developed, and capable of forming large tufts between leaves. The unisexual white flowers are minute. It can be reproduced by seeds and cuttings.

The genera name puzzles me. Could be from Latin obesus; 'swollen' for the stem, or from Obeah; a form of folk magic, medicine or witchcraft originating in Africa?  It was published by Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré in Voyage autour de Monde éxécuté pendant les Années 1836 et 1837 sur la Corvette la Bonite . . . Botanique 1844 - which I fail to understand.
The genera name means 'fig leaved'.