Does anyone have information about its uses in Uttarakhand, India?
Stinging nettle was used traditionally in uttarakhand (India) as vegetable, and also, to some extent, for fiber. However, this plant is not as widely explored here as in other countries.
1. It has been used for Ayurvedic Herbs, and is considered one of the best natural herbs. There are some medical uses and commercial applications. See: http://www.indianmirror.com/ayurveda/nettle.html
2. It is also make into tea. I just bought one box of it recently. See attached picture.
Check with the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and DEvelopment, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand. They are working on ethno-botany. So far as I know, there are two widespread species at moderate elevation, Urtica sp and the other Girardina diversifolia. There is a higher elevation Urtica too. The fibres are made into stoles and scarves, the irritation caused by the leaves is used to stimulate circulation, it is used in several medicinal preparations, the buds and leaves of Urtica are used as a vegetable, as are the flower spikes of Girardina. The most widespread use for these plants, however, is for disciplining children in villages..... also, don't forget that the larvae of some common and widespread butterflies like Aglais cashmirensis and Vanessa indica feed on these.
Maximilian Weigend (University of Bonn, Germany) knows a lot about Urtica !
@ Vasudha Pant
Yes. Please take a look at the following RG links.
Article Nettle (Urtica dioica Linn.) – a potential wild resource for...
Article Genetic variation and polymorphism in the Himalayan nettle p...
Article Ethnobotanical studies on Urtica dioica Linn. among the Bhot...
Experiment Findings Study on morpho-anatomical and histo-chemical charaterisatio...
Thanks!
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