Yes shantanu ji The stinging hairs have a sharp tip which breaks on coming in contact with skin injecting oxalic acid which produces skin irritation. When an unsuspecting person comes in contact with these plants the itching results. We would often tease other children, touching the plant ourselves without an ill effect, and when others (not familiar with the plant) would touch the plant, they would suddenly cry with irritation. The secret: You can touch the plant with front of palm, not back. You you touch with front of the palm gently, the stinging hairs can't penetrate the thick skin of the front of the palm. This would be a common prank for Delhi students on excursions to hill stations.
-- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 4:33 PM, Shantanu <shnt...@gmail.com> wrote: > Tanay > are these Bichuti pataa? > Do we have an itching sensation when the leaves are brushed on the > skin? > > regards > Shantanu : ) > > On Aug 30, 7:03 am, Gurcharan Singh <singh...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Urtica dioica from Kashmir, one of the commonest plants on roadsides and > > wastelands, the common stinging nettle, bichhu butti, called Soi in > Kashmir. > > Photographed from Balgarden, Srinagar on June 15, 2010. Easily > > differentiated from Urtica parviflora by its free stipules. > > > > -- > > Dr. Gurcharan Singh > > Retired Associate Professor > > SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > > Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. > > Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > > > > Urtica-dioica-Kashmir-a.jpg > > 229KViewDownload > > > > Urtica-dioica-Kashmir-b.jpg > > 192KViewDownload > > > > Urtica-dioica-Kashmir-c.jpg > > 128KViewDownload
