Does it sting? Nettles would.

Not the stinging type - a "dwarf nettle".

Urtica urens, dwarf nettle, fire nettle, burning nettle. Said to be the most painful plant in NA. I think there might be more painful plants. I don't think it's dioica, and it's definately not gracilis or gracilenta. Ive never encountered U. urens. The sting is harmless. People purposely sting themselves with nettles to treat arthritus and nerve damage. They are edible and contain a high amount of protein.

It does sort of resemble nettles, but the photo is too dark and blurry to be certain.

Here's an image of western stinging nettle from UC Irvine for reference...

https://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/plants/Urticaceae/Hesperocnide%20tenella.htm

Yes it stung, so must be nettles.

To make a tea out of the fresh leaves, just add to a cup of boiling water, and let them steep for 5min or more, correct?

I’ve only ever used Urtica dioica, and then as a vegetable. But here’s a recipe for nettle tea https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/759629/recipe/nettle-tea It specifies 15 minutes simmering, not just a quick steep. But it also says to decorate with a nettle leaf which seems stupid.

There are some crazy people out there! Nettle eating contest Tempted floral??? lol!

FWIW, heat does neutralize the 'sting'. If you get it on your skin, soap and hottest water you can bear helps.

We have it in the park here and kids inevitably get into it, so I learned how to treat the stings.

The soap and water I found in the State DOT rest area ladies room wasn't that helpful with my nettle encounter. Neither was cold bottled water poured over my hand, or the alcohol solution or the insect sting remedy from DH's first aid kit in his truck. It hurt! And for hours. I am not a wimpy girly girl at all, but I was aware of that hand burning for hours, long after we'd checked into our hotel that evening ;) I may never again reach out to a spray of tiny wildflowers to check for scent....what I had done that day.

Well, it could have been worse. You might have stuck your nose in to smell them .....

I’ve been stung so often I just get a strong tingling which soon wears off. The mechanism by which they sting is fascinating. ‘Stinging hairs of nettles are hollow, pointed cells with a tip made of pure silica, which breaks leaving a jagged point when you brush against it. The nettle sting contains irritants – mainly formic acid and histamines – that are injected into the surface layer of the skin cells.’ https://www.discoverwildlife.com/plant-facts/do-dock-leaves-really-soothe-nettle-stings/ 

If it's mainly formic acid, like ant and bee stings, papain enzyme should neutralize it.

That's what in Adolph's meat tenderizer...