URTICACEAE. 343 



branous. Endosperm scanty or wanting. [Latin, star nettle.] About 25 species, 

 mostly of tropical distribution, only the following North-American. 



i. Urticastrum divaricatum (L.) Kuntze. WOOD NETTLE. (I. F. f. 1267.) 

 Stem 3-12 dm. tall. Leaves thin, ovate, long-petioled, acuminate or acute at the 

 apex, sharply serrate. 3 -nerved and pinnately veined, glabrous or with some 

 stinging hairs, 5-13 cm. wide; petioles 3-13 cm. long ; stipule solitary, small, lan- 

 ceolate, 2-cleft, commonly deciduous; flower-clusters often longer than the petioles, 

 the lower staminate, the upper pistillate, divergent, 5-15 cm. broad in fruit ; ulti- 

 mate branches of the fruiting clusters flat, cuneate, emarginate ; achene twice as 

 long as the calyx, glabrous. In rich woods, N. S. to Ont., Minn., Fla. and Kans. 

 July-Aug. 



3 ADICEA Raf. 



Herbs, with opposite petioled mostly 3 -nerved leaves, connate stipules, and 

 small monoecious or dioecious flowers in axillary clusters. Staminate flowers 

 mostly 4-parted (sometimes 2- or 3-parted) and with a rudimentary ovary. Pistil- 

 late flowers 3-parted, the segments in most species unequal, each subtending a 

 staminodium in the form of a concave scale; ovary straight; stigma sessile, penicil- 

 late. Achene compressed. Seed-coat thin. Endosperm scanty or none. [Name 

 unexplained.] About 150 species, chiefly in the tropics, most abundant in tropical 

 America. Besides the following, another occurs in the southern U. S. 



i. Adicea pumila (L.) Raf. CLEARWEED. RICHWEED. (I. F. f. 1268.) 

 Annual, stems pellucid, usually branched, glabrous, succulent, 1.5-6 dm. high. 

 Leaves membranous, ovate, slender-petioled, acuminate or acute, 3-nerved, coarsely 

 dentate, 2-13 cm. long, sparingly pubescent with scattered hairs; petioles much longer 

 than the pistillate flower-clusters ; sepals of the pistillate flowers lanceolate, nearly 

 equal; achene ovate, acute, i mm. long. In swampy, shaded situations, often on 

 old logs, N. B. to Ont., Minn., Fla., La. and Kans. Also in Japan. July-Sept. 



4. BOEHMERIA Jacq. 



Perennial stingless herbs (some tropical species shrubs or even trees), with 

 petioled 3-nerved leaves, distinct or connate stipules, and small monoecious or dioe- 

 cious flowers, glomerate in axillary spikes or heads. Staminate flowers mostly 

 4-parted, or the calyx of 4 distinct sepals, usually with a rudimentary ovary. 

 Pistillate calyx tubular or urn-shaped, enclosing the ovary ; stigma subulate. 

 Achene enclosed by the pistillate calyx. [In honor of Georg Rudolph Boehmer, 

 1723-1803, Professor in Wittenberg.] About 50 species, mostly natives of tropical 

 regions, the following of eastern N. A. 



i. Boehmeria cylindrica (L.) Willd. FALSE NETTLE. (I. F. f. 1269.) A 

 perennial rough erect branching herb, 3-10 dm. tall. Stem stiff; leaves ovate, 

 ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate, thin, slender-petio'ed, opposite, or some alter- 

 nate, coarsely dentate, 1-3 cm. wide; petioles shorter than the blades; stipules 

 distinct; flowers dioecious or androgynous; staminate spikes usually interrupted, 

 the pistillate mostly continuous, 0.6-3 cm - l n g; achene ovate-oval, acute, rather 

 less than 2 mm. long. In moist soil, Quebec and Ont. to Minn., Fla., Neb. and 

 Kans. July-Sept. 



Boehmeria cylfndrica scabra Porter. Leaves firm, rough above, tomentose be- 

 neath, short-petioled or nearly sessile, usually reflexed ; fruiting spikes much longer 

 than the petioles. Penn., N. J. and S. N. Y. 



5. PARIETARIA L. 



Herbs, with alternate entire 3-nerved petioled leaves, no stipules, and axillary 

 glomerate polygamous flowers, involucrate by leafy bracts. Calyx of the stami- 

 nate flowers 4-parted or of 4 (rarely 3) distinct sepals. Fertile flowers with a 

 4-lobed calyx investing the ovary, a short or slender style, and a penicillate 

 stigma. Achene enclosed by the pistillate calyx. [Ancient Latin, referring to 

 the growth of some species on walls.] About 7 species, widely distributed; be- 

 sides the following, another occurs in the southern U. S. 



i. Parietaria Pennsylvania Muhl. PENNSYLVANIA PELLITORY. (I. F. f. 

 1270.) Annual, pubescent; stem weak, ascending or reclining, slender, 1-4 dm. 

 long. Leaves lanceolate or oblong -lanceolate, membranous, dotted, acuminate at 



