URTICACEiE. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 175. 



URTICA. 



$ . Calyx of 4 roundish, concave, obtuse, equal sepals. Sta- 

 mens 4, awl-shaped, spreading, opposite to the sepals, and about 

 as long ; surrounding the rudiment of an ovary. 5 . Sepals 2, 

 equal, roundish, concave. Ovary superior, ovate ; stigma ses- 

 sile, downy. Achenium ovate, rather compressed, polished, em- 

 braced by the permanent calyx. 



606. U. crenulata Roxb. fl. ind. iii. 591.— Eastern parts of 

 Bengal. 



Stem erect, shrubby. Bark smooth, ash-coloured, armed with acute 

 burning hairs. Leaves alternate, short-stalked, oblong, acute, crenulate, 

 or slightly dentate, both sides armed with a few burning white hairs ; 

 stipules cordate, small, caducous. $ . Spikes axillary, solitary, dicho- 

 tomous, with alternate lateral divisions. Flowers numerous. Calyx 

 4-parted. Ovary ovate, 1-seeded ; style 0. Stigma long, villous, 

 fleshy and tapering. — This nettle is reported to be one of the most 

 venomous of the genus. M. Leschenault de la Tour mentions his 

 having been dangerously affected by their sting (see Nat. syst. ed. 2. 

 p. 176), of which however Roxburgh says nothing. 



607. U. dioica Linn. sp. pi. 1396. E. hot. t. 1750. Smith 

 Eng.fl. iv. 135. — Common in waste ground. (Common nettle.) 



Root branching and creeping with fleshy shoots and many fibres. 

 Herb dull green, 2-3 feet high, erect, covered with rigid stinging hairs. 

 Leaves opposite, on long stalks, cordate, spreading, pointed, coarsely 

 serrated, armed with stings. Racemes numerous, much branched, 

 many-flowered. Some plants J ; others °. • — Independently of its 

 well-known stinging properties, which indicate the presence of a virulent 

 poisonous principle, a decoction strongly salted, will coagulate milk 

 without giving it any unpleasant flavour; the whole plant is esteemed 

 astringent and diuretic. Burnett. 



608. U. heterophylla Willd. sp. pi. iv. 362. Roxb. fl. ind. 

 iii. 586. — (Rheede ii. t. 41 .) — Mountains of Malabar. 



An annual. Stem erect, angular, with small white specks, in which 

 are inserted strong stiff acute rigid bristles, pointing in every direction. 

 Leaves alternate, long-stalked, cordate, lobed, towards the top of the 

 plant almost palmate, all coarsely serrate, armed with the same bristles 

 as the stem and branches, and some harsh pubescence besides ; from 

 4 to 8 inches long, and nearly as broad ; petioles about half the length 

 of the leaves, channelled and armed ; stipules large, cordate, ending in 

 1 or 2 acute points. Peduncles axillary, the lower supporting the male 

 flowers; those towards the apex of the plant, the female ones, in large 

 295 u 4 



