"Nettle"
is the common term applied to plants within the family Urticaceae. The
common stinging nettles that many of us have been unfortunate enough to
meet are in the genus Urtica. I've chosen to research these plants
for this class, "From Venoms and Toxins to Drugs," because of
the pain they can inflict upon passerby with their tiny stinging hairs.
This website provides less of a botanical exploration of nettles than
a more general exploration, with forays into specific scientific realms.
Much of the site is devoted to the all-around utility of nettles, because
this is the aspect with which, I believe, the least number of people will
be familiar. For a full appreciation of the site, you need the most recent
Macromedia Flash Plug-In for your browser. Click the link below if you
do not have it. Photo credits are given where they are warranted, and
most photos are linked back to the sites where I got them (so just click
'em). Please enjoy the site, and e-mail
me if you find any problems or have any questions.