Monique Reed a écrit dans le message
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Dead nettle is not a true nettle (Urtica), though the leaves are
superficially similar. It's in the mint family. Since it has no
sting, it's harmless, or "dead."

I don't know about the lead connection. Its sister species, Lamium
amplexicaule, is ubiquitous in East-Central Texas. If it were
indicating lead, I'm sure we'd all be defunct by now. It, at least,
is an indicator of disturbed or untended ground and tends to hang out
with dandelion, shepherd's purse, annual bluegrass, and other early
spring weeds/wildflowers.

M. Reed
Texas A&M

Salty Thumb of Death wrote:

Hello,

Does anyone know where I can find some information on purple dead nettle?
Plants.usda.gov just gives some taxonomy.

Does anyone one know why it's called dead nettle? Something to do with
death or is it a corruption of some other language? Is it true that it's
presence indicates heavy metals (particularly lead) in the soil? From
hearsay, I've gathered that it tends to grow in 'wasteland' which makes
sense if the part about heavy metals is true.

Hopefully this is a good group to pose this question.

True nettle (Urtica dioica) is said concentrate lead and arsenic.

James