What is the name of this stinging type of plant?

The 'Dendrocnide moroides', commonly known in Australia as the Gympie-Gympie, Gympie stinger, stinging bush (or tree), mulberry-leaved stinger, or simply stinger, is a plant in the nettle family 'Urticaceae' found in rainforest areas of Malesia and Australia. It has large, heart-shaped, simple leaves about 12–22 cm (5–9 in) long and 11–18 cm (4–7 in) wide with toothed margins, a pointed tip, and a cordate to the obtuse base shape.

The nettle family is full of stinging plants, but none is quite as aggressive as the Gympie Gympie. One of six such trees native to Australia and also found in Indonesia and in Malesia, the Gympie Gympie is one of the most dangerous plants in the world. Their leaves trigger an intense allergic reaction in its victims, sometimes even causing anaphylactic shock. The wound can cause excruciating, debilitating pain for months. Many people have reported flare-ups of the pain for many years afterward, and there are several accounts of horses, mad with pain, jumping off cliffs to their deaths after being stung.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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11 Comments

lls

I have never heard of stinging nettles being referred to under Gympie Gympie...

Jenny Smith

Never heard that name. It should have stated ' what is this plant called in Australia? In the UK it is called a Stinging Nettle.

Char

Nettles exactly what came to my mind first

Allan McIntosh

That’s definitely not Gympie Gympie in the picture it’s stinging nettle.

earlepg

Of couse I had to go with the name the that the aboriginies of Australia obviously assigned. I.remembered Gympie Gympie from another question over a month ago.

Sharon-Ann Sharman

This picture isn't a Gympie Gympie ... completely wrong

Julie Allen

Most common from Gympie in southern Queensland to Cape York Peninsula, especially common in the Atherton Tablelands.When touched, the tip of the silica hairs can break off. Hugh says this then turns the hair into a “self-injecting hypodermic needle.” The sting is described as “Initially like being attacked by wasps, then you get whitening and swelling at the site, and then if it’s really bad you get sweating – liquid just drips out of your skin.”