question about purple dead nettle - lamium purpureum

[maison.mousse]

Monique Reed a écrit dans le message
<3E9DB94E.55D69D0E at mail.bio.tamu.edu>...
>Dead nettle is not a true nettle (Urtica), though the leaves are
>superficially similar.  It's in the mint family.  Since it has no
>sting, it's harmless, or "dead."
>
>I don't know about the lead connection.  Its sister species, Lamium
>amplexicaule, is ubiquitous in East-Central Texas.  If it were
>indicating lead, I'm sure we'd all be defunct by now.  It, at least,
>is an indicator of disturbed or untended ground and tends to hang out
>with dandelion, shepherd's purse, annual bluegrass, and other early
>spring weeds/wildflowers.
>
>M. Reed
>Texas A&M
>
>Salty Thumb of Death wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> Does anyone know where I can find some information on purple dead nettle?
>> Plants.usda.gov just gives some taxonomy.
>>
>> Does anyone one know why it's called dead nettle?  Something to do with
>> death or is it a corruption of some other language?  Is it true that it's
>> presence indicates heavy metals (particularly lead) in the soil?  From
>> hearsay, I've gathered that it tends to grow in 'wasteland' which makes
>> sense if the part about heavy metals is true.
>>
>> Hopefully this is a good group to pose this question.

True nettle (Urtica dioica) is said concentrate lead and arsenic.

James