Scratch bush
Urera obovata
Family: Urticaceae
What it is like
A woody creeper. It grows 30 m long. The stems attach by roots that develop from the stem. Young branches have stinging hairs. The leaves are simple and arranged alternately. The leaf blade is broadly oval and 16 cm long. The base is rounded and it tapers to a short tip. There are rounded teeth along the edge. Plants are separately male and female. The flowers are small. The fruit is dry and 2.5 mm long. It has a fleshy envelope around it.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in lowland forest often in humid places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, West Africa
How it is used for food
The leaves are cooked as a vegetable and added to soups. They are slimy and are mixed with cassava leaves.
A minor locally used vegetable.
Edible parts
Leaves, fruit, vegetable