Urtica urens flowerhead3 (16192484979)

Description:

Summary[edit] Description: Introduced, cool-season, annual, upright, leafy herb 5-60 cm tall. Stems and leaves are hairless between erect stinging hairs. Leaves are 1-5 cm long, dark green above and paler green below; margins are toothed and petioles are usually more than half as long as the laminas. Flowerheads are branched, in axils of leaves and usually shorter than the leaf petiole. Flowers are small, green to white and either male or female on the same flowerhead. Flowering is mostly in late winter and spring, but can occur throughout the year. A common weed of stockyards, wasteland, under trees, sheep camps and other disturbed, moist, nitrogen rich areas. Of no grazing value for livestock (except goats), however and not poisonous. Human contact with the plant can cause skin irritation, reddening and inflammation. Maintaining ground cover in late winter can help limit germination. Can be controlled using registered herbicides. Date: 11 September 2013, 15:45. Source: Urtica urens flowerhead3. Author: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia.