Girardinia diversifolia, commonly known as the Himalayan nettle[2] or Nilghiri nettle,[3] is a plant species native to Nepal and in the Himalayan parts of India such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and in vast parts of China.[4] It grows naturally at elevations between 1,200 to 3,000 metres (3,900 to 9,800 feet).
It is a shade tolerant, tall, stout and erect herb growing up to 3m height with perennial rootstock. The plant grows as a clump, and each clump has many stems. The stem contains bast fiber of unique quality which is strong, smooth and light.[5]
Description
It is a 1.5 to 3 metres tall[6] perennial herbaceous shrub that grows without cultivation all over Nepal.[7] It most frequently occurs in the hilly and mountainous regions at altitudes up to 3000 m.[8]
Uses
Traditional users of Allo are ethnic groups from across Nepal, including the Kulung, Gurung, Magar, Rai and Tamang people.[9] Allo products are culturally important to both the Gurung[9] and the Rai.[8] It is also sold for commercial and non-religious purposes.[7] Non-fibre uses of the plant range from fodder and fuel wood,[8] to use as a live fence and in traditional medicines.[9] Allo fibre is very flexible and has high tenacity,[10] allowing it to be used in a multitude of applications ranging from clothing and bags to floor mats and rope.[9][11][12] Fibres made from allo are fully biodegradable.[10]
^Singh, S.C.; Shrestha, R (1988). "Girardinia diversifolia (Urticaceae), a non-conventional fiber resource in nepal". Economic Botany. 42 (3): 445–447. doi:10.1007/BF02860167. JSTOR4255095.
^ abDunsmore, J (1998). "Microenterprise development: Traditional skills and the reduction of poverty in highland nepal". Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies. 18 (2): 22–27.
^ abBajpai, P.K.; Meena, D; Vatsa, S; Singh, I (2013). "Tensile behavior of nettle fiber composites exposed to various environments". Journal of Natural Fibers. 10 (3): 244–256. doi:10.1080/15440478.2013.791912.
^Shrestha, R (1999). "Improvements on the traditional harvesting practice of girardinia diversifolia". Tropical Agriculture Research and Extension. 2 (1): 74–75.
^Dunsmore, J (1998). "Crafts, cash and conservation in highland nepal". Community Development Journal. 33 (1): 49–56. doi:10.1093/cdj/33.1.49.
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