92 



Europe, are too well known. Their effects are, however, not to be compared 

 for an instant with those of some Indian species. M. Leschenault (M&m. Mus. 

 6. 362.) thus describes the effect of gathering Urtica crenulata in the Botanic 

 Garden at Calcutta : — " One of the leaves slightly touched the first three fingers 

 of my left hand : at the time I only perceived a slight pricking, to which I paid 

 no attention. This was at seven in the morning. The pain continued to in- 

 crease ; in an hour it had become intolerable : it seemed as if some one was 

 rubbing my fingers with a hot iron. Nevertheless, there was no remarkable 

 appearance ; neither swelling, nor pustule, nor inflammation. The pain rapidly 

 spread along the arm, as far as the armpit. I was then seized with frequent 

 sneezing and with a copious running at the nose, as if I had caught a violent 

 cold in the head. About noon I experienced a painful contraction of the back 

 of the jaws, which made me fear an attack of tetanus. I then went to bed, 

 hoping that repose would alleviate my suffering ; but it did not abate ; on the 

 contrary, it continued during nearly the whole of the following night ; but I 

 lost the contraction of the jaws about seven in the evening. The next morning 

 the pain began to leave me, and I fell asleep I continued to suffer for two days; 

 and the pain returned in full force when I put my hand into water. I did not 

 finally lose it for nine days." A similar circumstance occurred, with precisely 

 the same symptoms, to a workman in the Calcutta Garden. This man de- 

 scribed the sensation, when w r ater was applied to the stung part, as if boiling 

 oil was poured over him. Another dangerous species was found by the same 

 botanist in Java, (U. stimulans,) but its effects were less violent. Both these 

 seem to be surpassed in virulence by a nettle called daoun setan, or devil's leaf, 

 in Timor ; the effects of which are said, by the natives, to last for a year, and 

 even to cause death. 



The common Hop, Humulus lupulus, is a rather anomalous genus of this 

 order, remarkable, as is well known, for its bitterness ; the active principle of it 

 is called by chemists, Lupulin. [Dr. A. W. Ives, in Silliman's Jour.] 



Examples. Urtica, Parietaria, Bohmeria. 



LXXIX. ULMACE.E. The Elm Tribe. 

 Ulmaceje, MrbelElem. 90S. (1815); Lindl. Synops. 225. (1829.)— Celtjdeje, Rich. 



Diagnosis. Apetalous dicotyledons, with definite suspended ovula, solitary 

 or loosely clustered flowers, a 2-celled indehiscent fruit, and alternate stipulate 

 scabrous leaves. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Chad acter. — Flowers monoclinous or polygamous. Calyx divided, campanu- 

 late, inferior. Stamens definite, inserted into the base of the calyx ; erect in aestivation. Ova- 

 rium superior, 2-celled ; ovules solitary, pendulous ; stigmas 2, distinct. Fruit 1- or 2-celled, 

 indehisceat, membranous or drupaceous. Seeds solitary, pendulous; albumen none, or in 

 very small quantity ; embryo with foliaceous cotyledons ; radicle superior.— Trees or shrubs, 

 with scabrous, alternate, simple, deciduous leaves, and stipula:. 



Affinities. Nearly related to Urticere, from which they are only distin- 

 guishable by the 2-celled fruit, pendulous seeds, and radicle turned towards the 

 hilum ; from Artocarpeae they are known by their inflorescence, dry fruit, and 

 double ovarium. 



Geography. Natives of the north of Asia, the mountains of India, China, 

 North America, and Europe ; in the latter of which countries they form valua- 

 ble timber-trees, 



