Dendrocnide excelsa (Wedd.) Chew

Dioecious buttressed tree to 35 (–40) m high, with irritant hairs. Leaves: lamina broadly ovate to almost circular, broadly crenate or sinuate to entire, bluntly acuminate apex, cordate at base, usually 10–25 cm long, (5–) 10–20 cm wide (juveniles usually considerably larger), pubescent above, villous below, often insect damaged; lateral veins 6–8 pairs, the basal pair prominent; petiole 5–10 (–15) cm long, pubescent to villous; stipules 1–2 cm long. Inflorescences unisexual, to 12 cm long and 6 cm wide, usually paired. Flowers sessile or on pedicels to 1.6 mm long. Tepals 4. Male flowers: pistillode c. 0.4 mm long. Female flowers densely pubescent; stigma c. 1 mm long. Achenes ovoid, c. 2 mm long, c. 1.5 mm wide, tuberculate, on fleshy pedicels, whitish or pink to purplish.

Common in rainforest especially on slopes and in gullies, often in basaltic soil. A common element of secondary forest, sometimes persisting to became a canopy or emergent tree as the woodland matures.

Caution: The plant has stinging hairs. The fruit is edible after the stinging hairs are removed.

Plants can be grown from fresh seed or by cuttings.