Nettles

Most old-timers who roam the woodlands prefer to wear long pants during the hot summer months. To the uninitiated, hiking along mountain trails often results in stinging sensations on the legs of those who wear shorts.

In waste ground and fields Stinging Nettles (Urtica urens) often produce surprising sensations on bare legs.
In rich woodlands along mountain trails the Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis) may cause a series of irritating stings to those in shorts.
For those who traipse through low grounds, swamp forests, and alluvial woods the False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica) is harmless to bare legs. However, its belt-high tallness and luxuriant growth may intimidate any hiker who passes through its dominant realm.

Notes:

Posted October 9, 2004.
Bill Hathaway's nature notes are sponsored by Mitchells Publications.