Duration: Perennial

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Perennial forb, stems slender, often twining, herbage with stinging hairs, erect or reclining.

Leaves: Alternate, serrate, lanceolate to trianguar-ovate less than 10-40 mm long.

Flowers: Monoecious flowers borne in terminal or lateral bracteate racemes staminate flowers above, 2 to many, pistillate flowers below, 1 to 2, sepals 6; styles papillose.

Fruits: Capsule 3-seeded, 5-6 mm in diameter.

Ecology: Found in canyons, hillsides, and valley floors; 2,500-7,000 ft (762-2134 m); flowers March-November.

Distribution: AZ, NM; south to s MEX.

Notes: One recognized variety in Arizona, var. dissecta. Difficult to distinguish from T. ramosa, which has fewer flowers per raceme (2-4), smooth style, and 4 or 5 stamens.

Ethnobotany: Plant used as a lotion to keep snakes away by the Navajo, while the Ramah Navajo used the plant as a life medicine. The Kayenta Navajo sprinkle the plant on the Hogan during rain storms for protection from lightning.

Etymology: Tragia is the Latin name of Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554) a German herbalist, while nepetifolia means leaves like catnip.

Synonyms: None

Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015