Boehmeria virgata var. scabrella

Rough Ramie is a subshrub or perennial herb, simple or few branched, 0.7-1.5 m tall. Upper stems and branchlets are densely bristly. Leaves are opposite, nearly equal in size; stipules lanceshaped, 0.8-1.2 mm. Leaf-stalks are 6-8 cm long, bristly. Leaf blade is dark green or black when dry, somewhat round, round-ovate, or ovate, 7-17 × 5.5-13 cm, papery, secondary veins 1-3 pairs along midvein. Underside is velvety or silky along veins and veinlets, upper surface roughish, bristly, base broadly wedge-shaped, rounded, or flat, margin coarsely 7-14-toothed, teeth 6-20 mm, gradually larger distally, distal ones often double-toothed, tip sometimes inconspicuously tricuspidate, lateral cusps shorter than terminal one. Glomerules are borne on axillary unbranched, or sometimes few-branched, spikelike branches. Male spikes are 3-15 cm; female spikes 7-20 cm. Male flowers are 4-merous, stalkless; tepals elliptic, about 1 mm, bristly, fused at base. Fruiting perianth is rhomboid-obovoid, compressed, about 1.8 mm, smooth, bristly on shoulder, base stipitate or cuneate, apex with short neck, 2-toothed. Rough Ramie is found in the Himalayas, at altitudes of 200-1300 m. Flowering: June-September.