Unité de Malherbologie & Agronomie Weed Science & Agronomy INRA-Dijon

Bayer Code : urtur

Scientific name: Urtica urens L.

Synonym(s) of Sc. name:

Classification: Urticaceae, Dicotyledonous

Common name: small nettle

Synonym(s) of Common name:

Name per country: DE : Kleine Brennessel ; ES : ortiga menor ; FR : ortie brûlante ; IT : ortica minore ; PT : ; EN : small nettle ; NL : kleine brandnetel, NL : broeinetel ; DK : liden nælde

Biological type: Annual

Seed:

.

Seedling:

- Cotyledons cordate tip.

- Leaves entire, elliptic or ovate, regularly dentate.

Adult plant:

- Height: 20-60 cm. Plant light-green.

- Stem erect, 4-angled, often branched near the base.

- Leaves small, opposite, ovate, dark-green, with marked veins, rounded or attenuate at base, with teeth longer than broad. Blade black-spotted. Petioles with 2 basal stipules. Stinging stiff hairs.

- Flowers greenish male and female (more numerous) on the same short raceme.

- Fruit : achene 1.5-2 mm.

- Plant with root astringent and diuretic.; used as food for poultry. Stinging effects due to the silica and formic acid inside hairs.

- Biological type: annual.

Ecological profile (click on flags):   Present       Present       Present       Present       Present       Present       Present     Present    

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