Urtica ferox

Ongaonga (Urtica ferox )

The Ongaonga (Urtica ferox ) is a plant from the genus of stinging nettles (Urtica ). The plant is endemic to New Zealand.

Features

The Ongaonga also known as nettle tree. It is a woody plant ( shrub ), which is one to two feet high usually, rarely reaches three meters. Stems and leaves are covered with white stinging hairs. At the leaves they stand in rows. The liquid fuel, as with other nettles mainly of formic acid, and 5- hydroxytryptamine, histamine, acetylcholine and Triffydin, but also other, still partially unknown substances.

Occurrence

The species is endemic to New Zealand. It grows in the forest areas of coastal areas and lowlands on both main islands. The main deposits are near the edge of the bushes, but also in the forest interior. In pastures it is not growing. It is believed that the plants are eaten by cattle when young.

Toxicity

Light contact is enough humans already sufficient to cause a two days lasting focal stimulus with redness and blisters. Intensive skin contact may for humans lead to severe neuropathic symptoms and even be life threatening. Two sources even speak of deaths ..