Urtica parviflora - Smooth-Leaf Himalayan Nettle

Smooth-Leaf Himalayan Nettle is a perennial herb which is similar to the Himalayan Nettle. However it can be differentiated by the following features. Leaf blades are lanceshaped to rarely narrowly ovate, 2.5-8.5 cm long (ovate to lanceolate 5-15 cm long in U. ardens). Leaf surface is smooth even when dry (wrinkled in U. ardens). Leaf margin is crenate or faintly double-toothed to sawtoothed (margin sharply doubly sawtoothed in U. ardens). Stems are sparsely velvet-hairy with a few stinging hairs at least when old (stem densely velvet-hairy with many stinging hairs in U. ardens). Flower spikes are unisexual; male inflorescences in distal axils, 4-7 cm; female ones in proximal axils, slender, with a few short branches, or male flowers in middle axils, female flowers in proximal and distal axils, nearly equal to or shorter than leaf-stalks. Smooth-Leaf Himalayan Nettle is found in moist places of evergreen forests, along streams, roadsides in the Himalayas, at altitudes of 1500-2400 m, from Kashmir to NE India, and China. Flowering: May-June.