Artillery Plant
Pilea microphylla
It earns its name 'Artillery Plant' from its ability to explosively discharge pollen into the air at high speeds when the flowers are warmed by the sun or disturbed by water drops.
- Scientific name
- Pilea microphylla
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Rosales › Urticaceae › Pilea
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Damp, shaded tropical forest floors, rock crevices, riverbanks, and disturbed urban areas.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
- Range
- Central America, South America, Caribbean, Southeast Asia (introduced), Pacific Islands (introduced)
- Size
- 15-30 cm tall, spreading up to 60 cm wide
- Lifespan
- 1-3 years (short-lived perennial)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- No major threats; highly adaptable and considered an invasive weed in some tropical regions outside its native range.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This plant is completely safe to touch and handle. However, when dry or disturbed, it may explosively discharge clouds of fine pollen, which can trigger mild respiratory allergies in sensitive individuals. No special precautions or medical treatments are required.
Pilea microphylla also known as rockweed , artillery plant , gunpowder plant or (in Latin America) brilhantina is an annual plant native to Florida, Mexico, the West Indies, and tropical Central and Southern America. In the southern part of México, specifically Campeche and Merida, the local name is Frescura . The plant belongs to the family Urticaceae. It has light green, almost succulent, stems and tiny 1/8" leaves which contribute to its other nickname, "Artillery Fern", though it is
Photo: no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist
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