Flora of New Zealand Series

nettle

Shallowly taprooted, erect monoecious annual, moderately clothed in short-stalked stinging hairs, otherwise sparsely to densely hairy. Stem with lateral branches usually present, up to 60 cm high. Lvs ovate or elliptic, acute, obtuse to truncate at base, coarsely serrate, (1)-2-8-(10) cm long. Petiole c. ⅔ as long as lamina. Stipules 4 per node, entire, 1-3 mm long. Racemes with numerous ♂ and ♀ fls, up to 1.5-(3) cm long. Perianth segments of ♀ fls extremely unequal, glabrous to hairy; margins ciliate. Achene ovoid, light brown, 1.5-2 mm long.

N.: locally common throughout but not recorded from Northland and Taranaki; S.: locally common throughout, but absent from Westland and Fiordland; Ch.

N. temperate regions 1846

Gardens, waste places, sheep camps and under trees, especially on farms, riverbeds, coastal cliffs and rough grassland.

FL Jan-Dec.

Although the racemes usually have both ♂ and ♀ fls, ♂ fls may be lost from older racemes. However, the ciliate margins of the perianth segments also distinguish this sp. (Fig. 119).

Fig. 119. Urtica urens, A female fl., B male fl. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X3Y]