- 278 OXXIIIp. URTICACEH (Rendle). [ Elatostema, 
and more numerous than the male and densely crowded ; subtending 
bracts spathulate or linear, ciliate. 
Species about 50; dispersed through tropical Asia, extending to the Hima- 
layas and Japan and to Australasia and the Pacific Islands; fewer in tropical 
Africa and the Mascarene Islands. 
Plants more than 6 in. high. Female inflorescence 
many-flowered. 
Leaves exceeding 2 in. in length, markedly acumi- 
nate. 
Male inflorescence sessile or shortly stalked. 
Outer bracts of male inflorescence ovate ; leaf- 
tip with margin toothed. 
Male perianth-segments 5, mucro unequal, 
half the length of the segment or less ; : 
leaf-base not auricled ... aw ... 1. B. Welwitschii. 
Male perianth-segments 4, mucro nearly as 
long as or longer than the segment; leaf- 
base auricled on the broader side st 
Outer bracts of male inflorescence broadly 
lanceolate ; leaf-tip with margin entire ... 3. H. thomense. 
Male inflorescence long-stalked ... sae .. 7, H. Manni. 
Leaves not exceeding 2 in. in length. 
Leaves about one-third as long as broad, acumi- 
nate. Eastern species ae He ... 4. E. orientale. 
Leaves about half as long as broad, not acuminate. 
Western species nic ees spe ... 5. E. monticola. 
Plant about 4 in. high. Female inflorescence few- 
flowered as SA Ae see ase .. 6. £. parvulum. 
2. E. paiveanum. 
1, E. Welwitschii, Engl. in Engl. Jahrb. xxxiii. 124. A mo- 
necious herb with a creeping profusely rooting brown rhizome 
1-14 lin. thick , stems generally simple, erect or ascending from a 
rooting base, succulent, up to 15 in. high and a little over 1 lin. in 
diam., hispidulous, leafy in the upper half, the leaves at the lower 
nodes smaller and falling early. Leaves membranous, sessile, obliquely 
elliptic-oblong, apex abruptly acuminate, base very unequal, shorter 
on the narrower side of the blade, margin generally acutely and 
densely serrate throughout, the larger 3-44 in. long, 1-2 in. wide; 
the two main lateral nerves arising just above the base on either 
side and failing before or about the middle of the leaf, that on the 
broader side shorter ; upper face with scattered, sometimes very 
sparse, stiff pointed hairs with a swollen base. and with numerous 
linear cystoliths especially along the course of the veins; lower 
face hispidulous on the nerves and ascending lateral veins, which 
are also somewhat prominent. Stipules lanceolate, acuminate, green 
with pale margins, 3-4 lin. long. Inflorescences sessile or shortly 
stalked ; bracts with small linear cystoliths. Male of small few- 
flowered bracteate cymes which are solitary or several crowded 
together, arranged dichotomously and 4-6 lin. across ; outer bracts 
broadly ovate, blunt, up to 14 lin. long, inner bracts similar but 
