Christmas Island Botanical Postage Stamps

Date of issue: 18 June 2013
Illustrator: Deirdre Bean
Printer: McKellar Renown

Part of a series of four flowering shrubs stamps.

Plant: Urena lobata

The varietal name printed on the stamp, Urena lobata var. sinuata,
is not currently recognised by the Australian botanical community.

Family: MALVACEAE

Burr Mallow,  Congo Weed

This plant is currently recognised as being native to Christmas Island, although it is widely distributed as a weed in the tropics of both hemispheres including Brazil and Southeast Asia and Australia.
On Christmas Island it occurs in open patches of loose disturbed soil and with limestone rocks.