GENUS i. 



NETTLE FAMILY. 



6 35 



i. Urtica dioica L. Stinging or Great 

 Nettle. Fig. 1556. 



Urtica dioica L. Sp. PI. 984- 1753- 



Perennial, densely beset with stinging hairs, stem 

 rather stout, 2-4 tall, puberulent above. Leaves 

 thin, ovate, long-petioled, acute or acuminate at the 

 apex, cordate at the base, sharply or incisely serrate 

 with triangular or lanceolate acute teeth, pubescent 

 beneath, 3-5-nerved, 3 '-5' long, i'-3' wide; petioles 

 slender, much shorter than the blades; stipules lan- 

 ceolate; flower-clusters large, compound, cymose- 

 paniculate; flowers dioecious or androgynous. 



In waste places, Newfoundland to Ontario, Minnesota, 

 South Carolina, Missouri and Colorado. Naturalized 

 from. Europe. Native also of Asia. Plant lower, stouter 

 and much more stinging than the following species. 



July-Sept. 



2. Urtica gracilis Ait. Slender or Tall 



Wild Nettle. Fig. 1557. 

 Urtica gracilis Ait. Hort. Kew. 3: 341. 1789. 



Perennial, sparingly armed with stinging hairs, 

 stem usually slender, erect, simple or with few 

 erect branches, 2-/ tall. Leaves lanceolate or 

 ovate-lanceolate, slender-petioled, long-acuminate 

 at the apex, narrowed or sometimes rounded at the 

 base (rarely subcordate), sharply serrate, 3-5- 

 nerved, sparingly pubescent, 3'-6' long, 4'-ii' wide; 

 petioles shorter than the blades, usually bristly ; 

 stipules lanceolate ; flower-clusters compound, 

 smaller than those of the preceding species, but 

 commonly longer than the petioles; flowers dioe- 

 cious or androgynous. 

 



In dry soil, Newfoundland to British Columbia, south 

 to North Carolina, Louisiana and Colorado. Races with 

 ovate-lanceolate, coarsely serrate, cordate leaves have 

 been referred to Urtica Lyallii S. Wats. June-Oct. 



3. Urtica urens L. Small or Dwarf 

 Nettle. Fig. 1558. 



Urtica urens L. Sp. PI. 984. 1753. 



Annual, stem rather stout. 6'-i8' high, 

 ascending or erect, it and its slender 

 branches stinging-bristly. Leaves thin, 

 glabrous or very nearly so, elliptic, oval or 

 ovate in outline, deeply incised or some- 

 times doubly serrate, with acute, ascend- 

 ing or spreading teeth, 3-5-nerved, ob- 

 tuse at both ends, or acutish, i'-3' long, 

 slender-petioled ; petioles often as long as 

 the blades ; stipules short ; flower-clusters 

 oblong, rather dense, mostly shorter than 

 the petioles ; flowers androgynous. 



In waste places, Newfoundland to Manitoba, 

 northern New York, New Jersey and Florida. 

 Also on the Pacific Coast and in Bermuda. 

 Naturalized from Europe. May-Sept. Burn- 

 ing or stinging nettle. 



