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.

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.

Monique Reed a écrit dans le message
...
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

Okay, that makes sense. Personally, I'd have though a name like 'false
nettle' would have been more appropriate, but the purple dead nettle does
look rather sickly if you ask me so maybe 'dead' is better.

As for the lead, I've read that it doesn't have a lethal toxicity for
healthy adults, and isn't especially harmful for most people, but it's
really insidious for children and the elderly.

The person (who is not a botantist or biologist) who told me about the lead
connection said that there's a plant that's a sure indicator of lead in the
soil. He was pretty sure it was purple dead nettle (which I assume he
meant lamium purpureum). I thought he was confused or pulling my leg, but
then I saw this (on google):

From: phorbin )
Subject: Groundcover
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 2001-05-20 19:00:59 PST
says...
Try Dead Nettle.....very hardy, lov growing groundcover.....Erin


Eeeuch.... LOL. Bad smell... Toxic stuff.

Mischievous suggestion.

Anyway, thanks for responding.

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

James

Ah, that's the information I'm looking for. Any idea where I can read up
on this?

In article ,
Salty Thumb of Death wrote:
True nettle (Urtica dioica) is said concentrate lead and arsenic.

James

Ah, that's the information I'm looking for. Any idea where I can read up
on this?


Search using key words like "bioremediation" and "phytoremediation".

Search using key words like "bioremediation" and "phytoremediation".

Good, thanks! I've never come across those terms before and so would have
never guessed to search on them. Thanks!

Salty Thumb of Death a écrit dans le message ...


Search using key words like "bioremediation" and "phytoremediation".

Good, thanks! I've never come across those terms before and so would have
never guessed to search on them. Thanks!


http://www.eeescience.utoledo.edu/Fa...OBPC_Small.pdf
Try that one to start.


James

In article , 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.

It's called "Dead Nettle" because, although it resembles Nettles
(Urtica spp.), and grows in similar localities, it has no stinging
hairs. Therefore it is "dead".

--
Michael Moore )
SW School of Botanical Medicine - http://www.swsbm.com
All my teaching and clinical manuals, 2000 medicinal plant
images and herb research material can be obtained at my web site.

In article , Salty Thumb of
Death writes

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.

White dead nettle, _Lamium album_, when not in flower, looks very like a
true nettle, _Urtica dioica_. I conjecture that the name dead (meaning
non-stinging) nettle was originally applied to this species, and
subsequently extended to other species of _Lamium_.

In my younger days I was led to believe that the resemblance of _Lamium
album_ to _Urtica dioica_ was a case of mimicry - for purposes of
herbivore deterrence. Now I'm not sure whether that is true, or an urban
legend - as herbivores do consume nettles, and as herbivores may well
recognise plants by smell, rather than sight.

_Lamium album_ is not the only plant that can be mistaken for a nettle;
one of the British species of _Stachys_ can fool me (again when out of
flower). The hemp-nettles are quite so similar.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley