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Is a cosmopolitan plant with an extensive distribution
In Catalonia, it is distributed in the Pyrenees and in mountains of impoverished and humid climate.
It grows in very nitrophilous environments.
It can reach 1.5 meters, but it usually grows between 0.5 and 1 meters.
It is common in roadsides and stone walls, corrals, rangelands, orchards...
It is an herbaceous, perennial and dioecious plant.
Erect Herbs of little branched quadrangular steems.
Simple, opposite, ovatolanceolate leaves of toothed margin
Leaves have two very apparent stipules.
They have stinging trichomes with liquid formic acid, histamine and serotonin, among others, which penetrates the skin causing the typical and annoying sensation of itching.
In contact with the skin, it causes irritation and an intense burning sensation.
Inconspicuous flowers, in unisexual, tetramerous and axillary cymes.
They have branched inflorescences.
These flowers can be seen between May and September.
Seismonastics stamens (filaments of the curved stamen) causes a very effective dispersion of their pollen when they suddenly straightened.
Fruit in achene.
Nettles are rich in salts (especially in potassium nitrate) which makes them diuretic.
They can be eaten as boiled vegetables.
By its high chlorophyll content it has also been used as a restorative, colorant and deodorant.
Currently on the market, there are different specialties as cholagogue / choleretic, antihemorrhagic, antirheumatic and for the gout, for the genitourinary infection, arthritis and dermatitis.
It is also in research to address the prostate adenoma.