Urticae

Urticae is a term used in botany to refer to nettles, the herbaceous plants in the genus Urtica within the family Urticaceae. The best-known members include Urtica dioica, the stinging nettle, and Urtica urens, the small nettle. The name urtica derives from Latin and is used in scientific and common names across many languages.

Nettle plants are usually herbaceous perennials with opposite leaves that are often heart-shaped and coarsely toothed. They bear tiny greenish flowers arranged in dense clusters, and they produce inconspicuous fruits. The most distinctive feature is the presence of stinging trichomes—hair-like structures on leaves and stems that release irritants such as histamine, acetylcholine, and formic acid upon contact, causing a stinging sensation.

Urticae are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere but are now widespread worldwide, frequently thriving in disturbed soils, along roadsides, riverbanks, and woodland edges. They prefer nutrient-rich soils and can form vigorous stands when conditions are favorable.

Humans have long used nettles for food, medicine, and fiber. When cooked or dried, the leaves lose the sting and provide nutrients such as vitamins A and C, iron, and minerals. Historically, nettle fibers were used in textiles, and nettles remain used in herbal medicine and as a culinary green in various cultures. Ecologically, nettles support diverse insect communities, including specialist herbivores, and serve as host plants for certain butterfly and moth larvae.