Urtica incisa

Summary

Urtica incisa, commonly called scrub nettle, stinging nettle, and tall nettle,[1] is an upright perennial herb native to streams and rainforest of eastern and southern Australia, from the north–east southwards through the east, of Queensland and New South Wales, then across the south, through Victoria, Tasmania, south-eastern South Australia and parts of southern Western Australia.[2][3] Also widespread in the North and South Island of New Zealand.[4]

Urtica incisa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Urticaceae
Genus: Urtica
Species:
U. incisa
Binomial name
Urtica incisa

Growth edit

Scrub nettle leaves are triangular and opposite, 5–12 centimetres (2.0–4.7 in) long, with serrated margins and stinging hairs.

Uses edit

Indigenous Australians ate the leaves after baking them between hot stones. They are considered a tasty vegetable, with colonists also using it to make a tonic for "clearing the blood".[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Urtica incisa". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  2. ^ "Urtica incisa : Scrub Nettle". Atlas of Living Australia. Australian Government. Retrieved 6 Nov 2013.
  3. ^ F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Urtica incisa". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Urtica sykesii". Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  5. ^ Low, Tim (1988). Wild Food Plants of Australia. ISBN 0-207-16930-6.