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Nettles redirects here. For the British actor, see John Nettles. For the former New York Yankee baseball player, see Graig Nettles. Nettle is the common name for any of between 30-45 species of flowering plants of the genus Urtica in the family Urticaceae, with a cosmopolitan though mainly temperate distribution. They are mostly herbaceous perennial plants, but some are annual and a few are shrubby. The most prominent member of the genus is the stinging nettle Urtica dioica, native to Europe, north Africa, Asia, and North America. The genus also contains a number of other species with similar properties, listed below. However, a large number of species names that will be encountered in this genus in the older literature (about 100 species have been described) are now recognised as synonyms of Urtica dioica. Some of these taxa are still recognised as subspecies. Most of the species listed below share the property of having stinging hairs, and can be expected to have very similar medicinal uses to the stinging nettle. The sting of Urtica ferox, the ongaonga or tree nettle of New Zealand, have been known to kill horses, dogs and at least one human. The Red Admiral butterfly eats this plant. The nature of the toxin secreted by nettles is not settled. The stinging hairs of most nettle species contain formic acid, serotonin and histamine; however recent studies of Urtica thunbergiana (Fu et al, 2006) implicate oxalic acid and tartaric acid rather than any of those substances, at least in that species.
Species of nettle Species in the genus Urtica, and their primary natural ranges, include: The family Urticaceae also contains some other plants called nettles that are not members of the genus Urtica. These include the wood nettle Laportea canadensis, found in eastern North America from Nova Scotia to Florida, and the false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica, found in most of the United States east of the Rockies. As its name implies, the false nettle does not sting. There are many unrelated organisms called nettle, such as: Nettles are the exclusive larval food plant for several species of butterfly and are also eaten by the larvae of some moths including Angle Shades, Buff Ermine, Dot Moth, The Flame, The Gothic, Grey Chi, Grey Pug, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Mouse Moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character and Small Angle Shades. The roots are sometimes eaten by the larva of the Ghost Moth Hepialus humuli. Uses
Safety Though the fresh leaves can cause painful stings and acute urticaria, these are rarely seriously harmful. Otherwise most species of nettles are extremely safe and some are even eaten as vegetables after being steamed to remove the stingers. Nettles can be picked painlessly by wearing a standard pair of washing-up gloves. The traditional remedy for nettle stings is rubbing with the crushed leaf of the dock plant, Rumex obtusifolus, which often grows beside nettles in the wild. Plantain is another traditional remedy. The alkalinity of the sap may counteract the nettle's acids. Nettle itself will release alkaline sap when macerated• While there is no scientific proof that this remedy works, searching for and using a dock leaf at least takes the mind off the stinging pain somewhat. Popular culture The Bottle Inn, a pub in Marshwood, Dorset, England, holds an annual World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship. The 10th World Nettle Eating Championships, held at The Bottle Inn, Marshwood. Saw Jo Carter Landlady of the Boot Inn, Weymouth eat the leaves from a staggering 34 feet of raw stinging nettles to keep the title she jointly held last year and smash the ladies world record (Previous record 24 feet) Jo, a 34 year old school teacher runs the Boot Inn with her partner Giles, she danced a jig of triumph when handed the ladies trophy she also received a case of stinger ale kindly Donated by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Jo beat off a truly valiant attempt from first time entrant Sally Payne who consumed the leaves from an amazing 30 feet of nettles, which in any other year would have taken the ladies title. Sally has vowed to return next year, watch out Jo!!! The Men’s title, after a hotly contested battle, was taken by 41 year old Plant operator, Samuel Ellis, from Northern Ireland but now living in West Coker Somerset. Samuel consumed the leaves from 52 feet of leaves during the hour long duration of the competition, reversing last years result, and beating the out-going champion Ed Brooks by 4 feet. See also Similiar plants There are further plants, showing similiar effects *: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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