Skye Flora

Urtica urens

Photo © Carl Farmer
(11 Sep 2003 Musselburgh)

Occasional in bare disturbed ground

Leaf-blades c 2-4 cm

Skye ID: Male and female flowers on the same plant (in fact there are some of each in each inflorescence)

Other features: Also differs from Stinging Nettle in the following ways:

• Annual

• Very mild sting

• Flower spikes short and stumpy (pic on left)

• Leaves often more deeply toothed, giving laciniate effect (varies)

• End tooth not or hardly longer than adjoining side teeth

• Often has many side-branches

• Fruit (the white bit) c 1.5-2 mm long