Pellitory

Florida pellitory (Parietaria floridana) is a very common Florida herbaceous

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plant in the nettle family. Also known as clear-weed the fragile stems of this weed are translucent and delicate. The tiny hairs of this nettle plant are non-stinging and give the plant a sticky quality. Often found in shady spots or growing erect against walls, this herb can thrive in poor soil and disturbed conditions. Florida pellitory is a common pest in the nursery trade as this plant will colonize in pots placed in the shade.

Florida pellitory is one of the native host plants for the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) butterfly. Red Admirals will also host on False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica). Red Admirals have always been particularly tricky for me to photograph because of their speedy and erratic flight habits and inability to stay still for very long. So, instead of a photograph I only have a picture of a painting I created about two years ago. I’m still trying to get a decent photograph of this butterfly so I can feature it as a blog post.

This herb was named by English Botanist Thomas Nuttall (1786 – 1859). From 1808 to 1841 Nuttall lived in America and traveled routes previously charted by Louis and Clark to collect plant specimens with fellow botanist John Bradbury. Together they collected many specimens that were previously unknown to science. In 1818 Tomas Nuttall published The Genera of North American Plants. From 1825-1834 Nuttall held the post of curator of the Harvard Botanical Gardens.