Common Names: Desert Rock Nettle, Desert Stingbush, Velcro Plant, Vegetable Velcro
Synonyms: Eucnide urens
Family: Loasaceae (Loasa)
Habit: perennial shrub
Size: up to 3 feet
Flowers: white, yellow
Bloom: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul
Leaves: alternate
Fruit: capsule
Description:
Long, thin, sharp, stinging bristles cover the buds, leaves and stems of eucnide urens, the desert rock nettle. The plant forms sizeable clumps, staying fairly close to the ground, with flowers creating dense clusters along the upper few inches of the stems; mature specimens may have hundreds of blooms.
The flowers, which appear from spring to early summer, are cream or pale yellow with 5 petals and are 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) across. Each flower is up to 2 inches across, composed of five white or pale cream petals, slightly darker at the base, centered on a cluster of up to 50 white stamens around a white style, similar in length. Anthers are shorter than the filaments. Desert bighorn sheep feed on the flowers.
Distribution: AZ, CA, NV, UT
Seen: NV (Lake Mead on Beach)
Habitat: It grows in the desert on cliffs and dry, rocky places. Also in washes and riparian areas.
