苎(zhù)麻属（学名：Boehmeria）属荨麻科植物。其中苎麻（学名：Boehmeria nivea）分成白叶种(white ramie)及绿叶种(green ramie)。

苎麻属为多年生草本宿根植物。地下部分由根和地下茎形成麻兜，可活数十年，茎丛生，背有茸毛，叶广卵形或近圆形叶，背面密生白茸毛为白叶种，而无白茸毛称绿叶种，单性花，雌雄同株，复穗状花序，雌花在花序的上部，黄绿色瘦果，极小。并且单纤维长度是麻类中最长的(60-250毫米)。《本草纲目》云：“苎，家苎也；又有山苎，野苎也；有紫苎，叶面紫；白苎，叶面青；其背皆白。”

Boehmeria is a genus of 47 species of flowering plants in the nettle family Urticaceae. Of the species, 33 are indigenous to the Old World and 14 to the New World; no species is indigenous to both the Old and New Worlds. The species include herbaceous perennials, shrubs and small trees. Although related to the similar-looking species of the stinging nettles of genus Urtica, species of Boehmeria do not have stinging hairs. Because of the similarity in appearance, some species are commonly called "false nettles".