ROMAN NETTLE

Urtica pilulifera

Nettle Family [Urticaceae]

sex

Corsica

Photo: © Richard Lansdown

Unlike Stinging Nettle, Roman Nettle is not dioecious, or even bisexual, but is monoecious, with separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The female flowers are on stalks growing from the leaf axils and are globular consisting of many female flowers each and are green to red. The white halo around the spheres are yet more stinging trichomes. The male flowers are much smaller with 4 white petals and in bunches along the stalks which also emerge from the leaf axils. The plants grow to maybe 2m high or higher.

Corsica

Corsica

There are stinging glandular hairs on the square red stems full of an irritant liquid. The leaves are green (but here browning) and with deeply-cut teeth. The Male flowers can be discerned on the central plant near the top as short strings.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics :

Distinguishing Feature : the globular flowers with stinging trichome hairs.

It is a casual plant (now thought not to exist in the UK).

Urtica

pilulifera

⇐ Global Aspect ⇒

Urticaceae

Distribution
family8Nettle family8Urticaceae
BSBI maps

Urtica
(Nettles)