urtica
urtica — noun
1. the scientific Latin name for a group of wild plants known as nettles, whose lea
the scientific Latin name for a group of wild plants known as nettles, whose leaves are covered with tiny hairs that cause a stinging pain when touched and which produce small, greenish flowers
The genus Urtica includes about thirty to forty-five species of nettle plants found across the world.
genus + Urtica for scientific classification
Botanists at the research centre study the DNA of Urtica to learn how the stinging hairs evolved.
DNA of + Urtica in research context
In her field guide, Dr. Nkechi Okonkwo notes that Urtica flowers are small, green, and wind-pollinated.
The Watanabe team discovered a new species of Urtica in the mountain forests of central Taiwan.
Dried specimens of Urtica are kept in the herbarium next to samples from other nettle-family plants.
文法句型
genus + Urtica
species of + Urtica
用法筆記
In scientific writing, the name is always capitalized (Urtica). The genus belongs to the family Urticaceae.
常見錯誤
2. a wild plant with rough green leaves that are covered in very fine, sharp hairs;
a wild plant with rough green leaves that are covered in very fine, sharp hairs; when you accidentally touch these hairs, they cause a sudden painful or itchy feeling on your skin
Nikhil brushed against an urtica plant while hiking and felt a sharp sting on his leg.
urtica plant for the common-name usage
The leaves of urtica can be cooked and eaten as a green vegetable rich in iron and vitamins.
Dario wore thick gardening gloves when picking urtica to avoid getting stung by the tiny hairs.
Tomás harvested fresh urtica leaves from the family garden to brew arthritis tea for his grandmother.
Jenna showed the children how to spot urtica by its jagged leaves and told them not to touch the plant.
- nettle
the standard everyday English name; 'urtica' is the scientific/Latin-derived term
- stinging nettle
a more specific common name for the best-known species, Urtica dioica
文法句型
urtica + noun (urtica plant / urtica leaves)
urtica + verb
用法筆記
When referring to the plant in everyday language, 'nettle' is far more common than 'urtica'. 'Urtica' is mainly used in botanical or scientific contexts, or when identifying the plant by its Latin-derived name.