178 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 
The Little Nettle is not so widely dispersed as the 
larger one. The usual habitat, in fact, is cultivated 
land, and especially the neighbourhood of manure 
heaps, and the open ground around farm buildings and 
stackyards. Thusa few plants may usually be found 
in and about a village or the outskirts of a town. 
It is an annual, moreover, unlike the other plant, 
the Common Nettle, which is perennial. 
The stem is erect and branched and shining, 
glabrous, except where the stinging hairs are situated. 
The leaves are opposite, ovate, elliptic or oblong, 
coarsely serrate, on short stalks; the teeth few but 
large, the terminal one longest, and on each side are 
two stipules at the base. 
The flowers are uni-sexual, in axillary spikes or 
panicles, paired. The spikes are nearly simple, and 
not so long as the petiole, with few flowers in a 
cluster. 
The pedicels may be long or short. The Little 
Nettle is rarely 1 ft: high. It is in flower from June 
to September. 
Like the other Nettle, it is pollinated by the wind. 
NETTLE (Urtica dioica). 
Owing to the vexation caused by the stings inflicted 
by its hairs, the Stinging Nettle is held in respect by 
old and young alike. Universally common, it is found 
in every county as far north as the Shetlands. It is 
found at an altitude of 2500 ft. in the Highlands. 
