Urtica dioica, Linnaeus, 1753

Grosse-Veldmann, Bernadette & Weigend, Maximilian, 2015, Weeding the nettles III: Named nonsense versus named morphotypes in European Urtica dioica L. (Urticaceae), Phytotaxa 208 (4), pp. 239-260 : 251

2. Urtica dioica L. subsp. dioica var. hispida (Lam. ex DC.) Tausch ex Ott (1851: 41) . Fig. 2

Basionym: Urtica hispida Lam. ex DC. (1815: 355) . Lectotype (here designated):— FRANCE. Départ. Pyrénées-Orientales: Region Languedoc-Roussillon, Eastern Pyrenees, Prades, anno 1814, M. Coder 182 (G–DC!). Syntype:—same locality, M. Coder s.n. (G–DC!).

≡ Urtica dioica L. var. vulgaris Wedd. subvar. hispida (Lam. ex DC.) Wedd. , in DC. (1869: 50).

≡ Urtica dioica L. f. hispida (Lam. ex DC.) Sagorski & G.Schneid. (1891: 450) .

≡ Urtica dioica L. subsp. hispida (Lam. ex DC.) Chrtek (1981: 212) .

= Urtica dioica L. var. hispida (Lam. ex DC.) Wedd. subvar. horrida Wedd. (1856) . Holotype:—“ In Corsica necnon in Gallia meridionalis frequens” (not located).

≡ Urtica dioica L. var. vulgaris Wedd. subvar. horrida (Wedd.) Wedd. , in DC. (1869: 51).

≡ Urtica dioica L. var. horrida (Wedd.) Rouy (1910: 273) .

= Urtica dioica L. var. hispida (Lam. ex DC.) Wedd. subvar. duplicato-serrata Wedd. (1856). Holotype:—(not located).

≡ Urtica dioica L. var. vulgaris Wedd. subvar. duplicato-serrata (Wedd.) Wedd., in DC. (1869: 51).

= Urtica hispidula Cariot (1865: 505) ≡ Urtica dioica L. var. hispidula (Cariot) Hegi (1911: 139) . Holotype:—Paturages et rocailles des hautes montagnes. Ain. Le Colombier du Jura et le Reculet, Is. La Grande Chartreuse, entre Grande Vache et Chalais (not located).

Var. hispida is similar to var. dioica , but is always robust and generally low-growing (typically 60–80 cm tall). Like var. dioica it has leaf margins which are coarsely and deeply serrate and some of the proximal teeth are usually divided. However, the plants are extremely densely covered with stinging hairs and bristles, often appearing nearly white. The perianth, both of the female and male flowers, always has one to several stinging hairs. Female inflorescences are initially spreading, very densely and strongly branched, deflexed in fruit, male inflorescences are much branched, and horizontally spreading.

Distribution and Ecology: —Typically found on open habitats in alpine pastures on calcareous ground, preferably between rocks, in the southern Alps and the Pyrenees, also on Corsica and possibly elsewhere.

Conservation status: —Using IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2001), Urtica dioica subsp. dioica var. hispida is considered “Least Concern” (LC).

Representative specimens:— ALBANIA. Without legible locality, anno 1894, A. Baldacci 156 ( FI) ;— FRANCE. Ain: 14 July 1871, F. Lacroix s.n. ( FR) ; Hautes Pyrenees: Gèdre, Brada , Aug. 1885, Bordére s.n. ( PR, M) ; Estaubé, anno 1872, Bordére s.n. (B), Camp [illegible], anno 1872, Bordére s.n. (B) ; D´Estaubé, 1800 m, 28 July 1882, Bordére s.n. ( FR) ; Aug. 1887, Bordére s.n. (M);— ITALY. Treviso: Alpi Trevigiane, Bosco Cansiglio, R. Palazzo , suolo dolomitico, 1030 m, 04 Aug. 1917, A. Fiori s.n. ( FI) ; Turin: Giaveno , near D´Alpe, 31 July 1928, Fontana s.n. (M) ; Tuscany: Firenze a San Gervasio , June 1904, A. Fiori s.n. ( FI) ; Venetia: Prov. de Treviso, Bosco Cansiglio , circa habitationis et secus vicus frequens, 1000 m, sol. calc., 10 July 1922, A. Fiori 2645 (B, BM, PR, 53041) ; same locality and date, Flora Italica Exsiccata A. Fiori & A. Béguinot No. 2645, A. Fiori s.n. ( FI) ;— SPAIN. Soria: Carrascosa de la Sierra , camino a La Dehesa, 1190 m, 07 July 1980, Granzow & Zaballos 45 (M) ; Estepa de San Juan, Puerto de Oncala , 1465 m, 07 Sept. 1980, Zaballos 296 (M) ;— SWITZERLAND. Wallis: above Gletscheralp, near Saas Fee , 2400 m, 12 July 1911, Ruppert 857 (M) ; Gärsthorn, above Visp, near Mund , 2200 m, 03 Sept. 2004, M. & K. Weigend 8113 (♀, BONN) ; same locality and date, M. & K. Weigend 8114 (♂, BM, BONN, M, P, W) ; specimens prepared from cultivated plants in June 2005, M. & K. Weigend 8114-C (♂, BONN) ; Gärsthorn, above Visp, near Mund , 2500–2600 m, 03 Sept. 2004, M. & K. Weigend 8111 ( BONN, FI, KRAM, M) ; specimens prepared from cultivated plants in June 2005, M. & K. Weigend 8111-C (♀, BONN) ; same locality and date, M. & K. Weigend 8112 (♀, BONN, FI, LE, M, S, W) ; specimens prepared from cultivated plants in June 2005, M. & K. Weigend 8112-C (♀, BONN) ; Sion , Col du Sanetsch, 2200 m, Aug. 2004, M. & K. Weigend 8108 (♀ and <♂ ♀>, BONN, LE, M) ; specimens prepared from cultivated plants in June 2005, M. & K. Weigend 8108-C (♀ and <♂ ♀>, BONN, M, NY, P, W) ; same locality and date, M. & K. Weigend 8109 (♀, BONN, LE, M) ; specimens prepared from cultivated plants in June 2005, M. & K. Weigend 8109-C (♀, BONN, M, P, W) ; same locality, 03 Sept. 2004, cultivated in Berlin June 2005, M. & K. Weigend 8190 (♀, B, BM, BONN, FI, M, MO, P) ; same locality, 30 Aug. 2004, cultivated in Berlin June 2005, M. & K. Weigend 8179 (♂, B, BONN, M, cult: M) ; same locality, Sept. 2004, cultivated in Berlin Aug. 2005, M. Weigend 8200 (♂, BONN, K, M, MO, P) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Urtica dioica L. subsp. dioica var. hispida: (A, D–F: M. Weigend 8109, B, C, G: M. Weigend 8108), A. Habit with dense indument appearing nearly white, B. Node with leaf pair and male inflorescences, C. Node with leaf pair and female inflorescences, D. Node with stipules, E. Stem densely covered with stinging hairs and bristles, F. Female inflorescence: perianth with stinging hairs, G. Abaxial leaf surface with stinging hairs, leaf margins coarsely and deeply serrate, H. Typical open habitat on calcareous ground between rocks in the Swiss Alps.