china-grass

Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich. is a member of the Urticaceae family and is commonly referred to as china-grass. It is native to the eastern Himalaya, as well as warm temperate and tropical regions of eastern and southeastern Asia. The plant is a monoecious shrub or subshrub that can grow up to 2 m tall, with alternately arranged leaves measuring 7–15 cm in length and 6–12 cm in width. The leaves are oval-acuminate and have a serrated margin. Cultivated in China and other parts of Southeast Asia for thousands of years, Boehmeria nivea is a source of the fiber crop known as ramie. It has also been introduced to tropical and subtropical regions of other continents, including the southeastern United States.