Foothills, montane. Streamsides, wetlands, woodlands. Spring.
Owens Basin Trail, June 13, 2004.

In the San Juans, Stinging Nettle is common but usually in scattered, thin patches.  It is often found at the base of rocky talus slopes where the water it enjoys is pushed to the surface.  The young plants pictured may grow to two feet tall if they get enough water.  Along streams in the East, a related species grows to six feet tall in dense patches.

Alexis Jussieu (1814-1897) named this family and Linnaeus named the Urtica genus in 1753.  William Aiton (1766-1849) named the plant Urtica gracilis in 1789, but the most widely accepted scientific name now is Urtica dioica which was first given the plant by Linnaeus in 1753.  "Urtica" is Latin for "to burn", and "gracilis" is Latin for "slender".

Foothills, montane. Streamsides, wetlands, woodlands. Spring.
Lizard Head Trail, June 19, 2004.

The tiny hairs along the stem and leaves and the several irritating substances they contain produce the intense itching when Stinging Nettle brushes against bare skin. Most people get immediate relief by flooding the affected skin with water.