SMALL NETTLE
Urtica Urens
Nettle Family [Urticaceae] 
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Nettle Family [Urticaceae]
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_2009_08_04_BurscoughBridge_MartinMere_canal_circ_130p6.jpg)
| 4th Aug 2009, Cricket Ground, Rufford, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| A single plant just over a foot tall. |
_2009_08_04_BurscoughBridge_MartinMere_canal_circ_118p1.jpg)
| 4th Aug 2009, Cricket Ground, Rufford, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The leaves are rounder than ordinary Stinging Nettles. |
_2009_08_04_BurscoughBridge_MartinMere_canal_circ_123p4.jpg)
| 4th Aug 2009, Cricket Ground, Rufford, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| And more deeply toothed. |
_2009_08_04_BurscoughBridge_MartinMere_canal_circ_121p3.jpg)
| 4th Aug 2009, Cricket Ground, Rufford, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| Leaves have a doubly-toothed look and much rounder than those of Stinging Nettles. |
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| 4th Aug 2009, Cricket Ground, Rufford, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The flowers are greenish yellow, in catkins, and unlike Stinging Nettles, the male and female flowers are on the same plant. |
_2009_08_04_BurscoughBridge_MartinMere_canal_circ_125p00.jpg)
| 4th Aug 2009, Cricket Ground, Rufford, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| There may be a mixture of both male and female flowers on the same plant. |
_2009_08_04_BurscoughBridge_MartinMere_canal_circ_128p9.jpg)
| 4th Aug 2009, Cricket Ground, Rufford, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| Square stems with stinging trichomes. |
_2009_08_04_BurscoughBridge_MartinMere_canal_circ_124p6.jpg)
| 4th Aug 2009, Cricket Ground, Rufford, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The leaves also have stinging trichomes. The extremely thin and hollow needles of silica penetrate the skin on being brushed passed. As the trichome is flexed, the volume of the large cylindrical reservoir at the base is reduced slightly, pushing the poisonous contents up the sharp silica tube and under the skin of any mammal. For details of the poisons contained within see Stinging Nettle. Note the whitish flower, lower right. |
_2008_04_16_Duckington_MaidenCastle_Tarporley_596p4.jpg)
| 16th April 2008, Near Maiden Castle, Staffordshire. | Photo: © RWD |
| Rounded leaves of a very small, young plant. |
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Some similarities to : Stinging Nettle, but that is about twice as tall and has a much hairier appearance. Also its' flower catkins are much longer, but the most important difference is that the male and female flowers on Stinging Nettles are on separate plants, whereas on Small Nettle they are on the same plant. The stems are square on both Nettles. It occupies waste ground and is a weed of cultivation. The stinging trichomes still sting on Small Nettle, but they are less potent. ANY TEXT GOES HERE |
 Urtica |
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Nettle Family [Urticaceae]
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