"Pilea" is of little economic importance; six species have horticultural value ("P. cadierei", "P. grandifolia", "P. involucrata", "P. microphylla", "P. nummulariifolia", and "P. peperomioides"), and one species is used in Chinese traditional medicine ("P. plataniflora").The genus has attracted little monographic attention since Weddell (1869), and the majority of taxonomic contributions have come from floristic treatments.