Loasa

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{automatic taxobox

|image = Loasa vulcanica - Andre.jpg

|image_caption = Loasa vulcanica

|taxon = Loasa

|authority = Adans.

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|subdivision = See text.

}}

Loasa is a genus of flowering plants in the family Loasaceae. The genus contains about 100 species native to Central and South America.{{cite web |title=Loasa Adans. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:24998-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Kew Science |access-date=18 May 2021}} of which Loasa vulcanica is perhaps the best known. Species of Loasa are prickly herbs or shrubs that have nettle-like stinging hairs.{{cite web |title=Loasaceae |url=https://www.britannica.com/plant/Loasaceae#ref182748 |website=Britannica}} Some species of Loasa are grown as ornamental plants and are known as Chile nettle.{{cite web |title=Loasa (Loasaceae) |url=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/horticulturaldatabase/summary2.asp?crit=Loasa&Genus=Loasa |website=RHS Horticultural Database |publisher=The Royal Horticultural Society |access-date=18 May 2021}} Its flowers have five yellow petals covering united stamens and distinctive large coloured nectaries. Caiophora is a closely related genus that also has stinging hairs and is found on rocky slopes of the Andes.