Girardinia diversifolia (accepted name)

[Saroj Kasaju]

Dear Members,

Location: Champadevi , Nepal

Altitude:  5000 ft.

Date: 12 November 2016

Nepali Names: 

अल्लो Allo  / अल्लो सिस्नु  Allo Sisnu / भ्यान्ग्रे सिस्नु Bhyaangre Sisnu / चाल्ने सिस्नु Chaalne Sisnu / काली सिस्नु Kaali Sisnu / लेख सिस्नु Lekh Sisnu / ठुलो सिस्नु Thulo Sisnu 

Thank you.

Saroj Kasaju

[chrischa...@btinternet.com]

Yes, I think this must be Girardinia diversifollia, the 'Giant Himalayan Stinging Nettle' but your selection of just close-ups (with the last image of foliage out-of-focus) do not match well what I am familiar of this species including my own photos and experience up-close.  Please take and include in your posts shots of habitat and habit of plants as well as close-ups as it can be hard to gain an overall impression of what one is looking at.

I first came across this plant in Nepal but it is also widespread in the Kulu Valley, H.P.  I do not recollect ever coming across it in Kashmir though as I have commented in other posts, have not spent much time at the elevations where this is found in N.Pakistan & Kashmir  i.e. 1500-2400m.  Stewart does not record it from the main Kashmir Valley.

There is a line drawing of the plant in 'Flora Simlensis'. Collet found it to be common in forest at Simla remarking that Roxburgh called it a most ferocious-looking plant with the stings producing acute pain but it is of short duration.  He said the stems furnish a fine silky fibre, used in Sikkim (little was known of Nepal at the time) for ropes, twine and coarse cloth.

A Britisher who was a volunteer TB-vaccinator for The Britain-Nepal Medical Trust (his father was a doctor who helped in the early years of this NGO charity) never forgot the first time he was 'stung' by it - getting through his jeans like a "hot knife through butter".  He was wary afterwards.  One of the risks of plunging too readily into vegetation at certain elevations in Nepal is this plant.  It was a 'rude' awakening for me during my first visit to Nepal back in 1990 to encounter this and leeches - which I had not come across in Kashmir or the Indian TransHimalaya...

Flowers of Himalaya say it is found from Pakistan to Bhutan, India, Myanamar & China @ 1200-3000m on wasteland, shrubberies & edges of cultivation.

Flora of Bhutan describes its habitat as subtropical and warm broad-leaved forest more rarely cool broad-leaves forest @ 850-2750m.  Fibres (which are one of the longest in the plant kingdom) much used to make ropes, bow-strings and coarse cloth.

Roy Lancaster, a British Plantsman within his two books on Nepal recounted an occasion when a porter claimed to have been bitten by a demon when it was still dark early one morning.  The 'demons' because there were lots of them turned out to be this Giant Himalayan Stinging nettle!

But this is SUCH an important plant which has enormous additional potential for Nepal to help against soil-erosion and protection against landslides & damage from earthquakes in villages at elevations where its growth can be encouraged.  I am not suggesting it can 'stop' a major earthquake or major landslide but on a smaller scale it could make a real difference, reducing damage and even saving lives.   I have been drawing attention to this (there are already many NGOs and Womens' Groups in Nepal encouraging the use of fibre from this plant) for a couple of years now but not one person has commented let alone any response from those who need to act to "make things happen" in Nepal.  Perhaps someone reading these comments will contact me and take up the cause:

This remarkable plant warrants greater efforts to encourage planting on a LARGE SCALE in and around villages in Nepal.  And following the recent earthquakes and awareness that the country is prone to earthquakes, measures that can be taken to reduce the impact of landslides are of major importance.  They should, as a PRIORITY, include propagating this valuable plant and planting in suitable locations. It is something which local villages can be involved with themselves, having the not inconsiderable advantage of incurring little or no cost and there being the bonus of products to be made by weaving its fibres and income to be generated for WOMEN in the villages.  The villagers would be doing something positive.  Many villagers are already familiar with the plant, which occurs naturally, so it is not a matter of introducing a strange, alien species, which may end up doing more harm than good.

It has been recognised for some time that the 'Giant Himalayan Stinging Nettle' (GIRARDINIA  DIVERSIFOLIA) has a tough root system which helps bind soil and prevent soil erosion - which has long been a serious problem in many Nepali Villages.  It can grow on slopes and poor soils not suitable for cultivation of crops, indeed appears by itself around some abandoned yak herders huts. 

It should be viewed as a valuable crop as the fibres within it (which I understand to be the longest in the plant kingdom) can be woven into many products, which can be sold (even the head-bands for the bamboo baskets worn on backs, which for centuries have been the main means of transport of goods in Nepal (pack animals are not generally used in the way they are in the Western Himalaya).  As it is the women who do the weaving, any sales go into their pockets.  The world over, money which is controlled by women tends to be MUCH BETTER SPENT - not least in the poorest communities.  There is even the bonus that the plant is utilised in religious ceremonies and its weaving maintains traditional skills and traditional way-of-life -  so it really is a WIN, WIN situation.

For further information see:  https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/giant-himalayan-stinging-nettles---saviours-of-landslip-prone-nepalese-villages or contact me directly.

There are lots of ways efloraofIndia can be of use let us hope helping to reach influential people is one of them.....

[J.M. Garg]

Thanks, Chadwell ji and Saroj ji

[Saroj Kasaju]

Dear Chris,

Thank you for the detailed and valuable information. Fibers from this 

plant is used to make fabric called Allo which now a days is famous 

for making Coat and even exported .

By the way only one Girardinia is listed in Nepal so far.

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=110&taxon_id=113573

Thank you.

Saroj Kasaju

On Wed, Nov 16, 2016 at 9:10 AM, J.M. Garg <jmg...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks, Chadwell ji and Saroj ji