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What causes nettles to sting?

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Microscopic silica hairs that line the stems and leaves. They break off into the skin when you brush them and cause extreme irritation.
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The pain is not caused by silica. Looks like the pain is caused by oxalic acid and tartaric acid.

http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/conten...
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Chicken in Black is quite right. If you boil the leaves the stinging hairs dissolve and you can eat it. (tastes awful).
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