NETTLE FAMILY. 2'jV 



2. Flowers of the two kinds mostly separate ; the fertile crowded in cntlan-tikt 

 sjtikes or heads, which become fleshy in fruit : Jilaments injlcxed in the </</, 

 spreading elnslically when the calyx expands. 



6. MORUS. Flowers usually moim-Hoii*, both sorts in catkin-like spike-.. <'ah x 

 4-parted. Stamens 4. Fertile spike altogether becoming an ovai 

 multiple pulpy fruit imitating a blackberry, but the pulp co:i-i-t> <if thy 

 calyx, bracts, &e. of the flowers, each enclosing a small akene. 



6. BROUSSONETIA. Flowers dioecious; the sterile in cylindrical catkins, and 



like those of Mulberry; the fertile in globular heads, mixed with little bristly 

 scales, their calyx urn-shaped and 3-4-toothed, out of which the ripened 

 ovary protrudes and forms a club-shaped rather fleshy fruit. Style single. 



7. MACLURA. Flowe s dioacious; the sterile in racemes, and nearly like those 



of Mulberry; the fertile densely crowded in a large spherical head, its calyx 

 of 4 unequal sepals, in fruit enclosing the small akene : the whole head 

 ripening into a fleshy yellow mass, resembling an orange with a rough i.-h 

 surface. 



III. NETTLE FAMILY PROPER. Herbs, as to our wild 

 species, with bland watery juice and tough fibrous bark : many are 

 armed with stinging hairs. Flowers monoecious or dioecious, green- 

 ish. Filaments transversely wrinkled and inflexed in the bud, 

 straightening elastically when the calyx opens. Fruit an akene : 

 style or stigma one and simple. All ours worthy of notice belong 

 to the three following genera. 



8. URTICA. Flowers in racemed, spiked, or head-like clusters; the calyx in 



both sorts of 4 separate sepals. Stamens 4. Stigma a sessile globular tuft. 

 Akene flat, ovate, straight and erect, enclosed between the larger pair of 

 sepals. Herbage beset with stinging hairs : leaves opposite. 



9. LAPORTEA. Flowers in loose open cymes, the upper chiefly fertile, and 



lower sterile; the latter with 5 sepals and stamens; the former of 4 very 

 unequal sepals, the two outer or one of them minute. Stigma slender awl- 

 shaped, hairy down one side, persistent on the ovate flat very oblique and 

 nearly naked akene, which is soon reflexed on its wing-margined pedicel. 

 Herbage beset with stings: leaves large, alternate. 



10. BCEHMERIA. Flowers either dioecious or intermixed, clustered in spikes; the 



sterile as in Urtica; the fertile with a tubular or urn-shaped calyx barely 

 toothed at the apex, enclosing the ovary and closely investing the oblong flat 

 akene. No stings. 



IV. HEMP FAMILY. Rough herbs, with watery juice and 

 tough fibrous bark. Leaves mostly opposite and palmately loberl 

 or compound. Flowers dioecious, greenish ; the sterile in axillary 

 loose compound racemes or panicles, the fertile in close clusters or 

 catkins : calyx of the former with 5 sepals, of the latter one scale- 

 like sepal embracing the ovary and akene. Stigmas or hairy styles 

 two, long. 



11. CANNABIS. Erect herb. Stamens 5, drooping. Fertile flowers in irregular 



spiked clusters. Leaves of 5-7 lanceolate irregularly toothed lealle;-. 



12. HUMULUS. Tall-twining. Stamens erect. Fertile flowers in solitary 



catkins or spikes, 2 flowers under each of the broad thin bracts which make 

 the scales of the strobile or hop-fruit. 



1. ULMUS, ELM. (The classical Latin name.) Fine trees in deep, 

 mostly moist or alluvial soil. Fl. early spring ; fruit in early summer. 



1. Leaves rough and harsh on the up['i; x-y> <i>/ iixicil/i/ <l'>,i- t ,, f ,,n 



surface: seed in //- middle of the orbicular or round-wal fruit, far away 



from the shallow not,. -It : jiou; r-cluaters ijlubular : ji, die, As i; ,-;/ .<fmrt. 

 U. flilva, SLIPPERY ELM. Common, rather small tree through the coun- 

 try, with tough reddish wood, well-known very mucilaginous inner bark, and 



