URTICALES.J URTICACE^. 261 



single erect ovule in a simple carpel, the foramen of which is at the apex, so that 

 when the seed is ripe the embryo is necessarily inverted, its radicle pointing upwards. 

 (In the second edition of this work the position of the radicle was misstated, owing to 

 some accident.) Nettleworts will then be easily known from Morads and Hempworts, 

 which have a hooked embryo, and from Antidesmads, which have pendulous o^-ules. 

 What differences exist between them and the Artocarpads are mentioned under that 

 Order. The flowei's are occasionally, in part, hermaphrodite, although the greater 

 number are absolutely unisexual, and, on this accovmt, they must be regarded as 

 entirely contermuious with Chenopods in the hypogynous sub-class. They will, 

 however, be fomid to differ not only in their habitually diclhious flowers, but also in 

 their embryo being enclosed in albumen and not external to it as in Chenopods. 



Independently of the resemblances borne by Nettlewoi-ts to Chenopods as well as 

 to other Orders in the Urtical AlUance, we must not lose sight of their very close 

 affinity to the hypogynous Buckwheats, some of which ai'e ^ $ . This has been abeady 

 alluded to at p. 258, and will be fui'ther noticed hereafter. 



The species are widely dispersed over every part of the world ; appearing in the 

 most northern regions, and in the hottest climates of the tropics ; gi-owing now upon 

 dry walls, where there is scarcely nutriment for a Moss or a Lichen, and mhabiting the 

 dampest recesses of the forest. Many follow the steps of man, flourisliing on rubbish 

 heaps and waste places around his dweUings. 



All the more important of the old Urticaceous Order having been removed from this 

 place, the qualities of the few that remain are of Uttle interest. Excessive causticity in 

 the limpid juice is their chief chai'acteristic, as is exemphfied in the common stinging 

 Nettles, Urtica dioica, m'ens, and piluhlera, which are, however, not to be compared 

 for an instant with some of the E. Indian species. Leschenault de la Tom' thus 

 describes the effect of gathering Urtica crenulata in the Botanic Garden at Calcutta : — 

 " One of the leaves shghtly touched the first three fingers of my left hand : at the time 

 I only perceived a shght pricking, to which I paid no attention. This was at seven in 

 the morning. The pain continued to increase ; in an horn* 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 mflammatiou. The 

 pain rapidly spread along the arm, as far as the annpit. I was then seized ^^'ith 

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

 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 alle^^ate my suff'ering ; but it did not abate ; on the contrary, it continued 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 

 occun*ed, with precisely the same symptoms, to a workman in the Calcutta Garden. 

 This man described the sensation, when water was apphed to the stung part, to be as if 

 boiling oil was pom'ed over him. Another dangerous species was fomid by the same 

 botanist in Java (U. stimulans), but its eff"ects were less violent. Both these seem to 

 be surpassed in virulence by a Nettle called Daoun Setan, U. urentissima, or devil's leaf, 

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

 cause death. In some species the acrid fluid is so abimdant that it is spontaneously 

 discharged from the whole surface of the leaf. According to Endlicher the causticity 

 of Nettle juice is owing to the presence of bicarbonate of ammonia. The foliage of 

 Bcehmeria caudata is used advantageously in Brazil in baths, as a relief for htenior- 

 rhoidal complamts, and in the same comitry an extract of Pilea rauscosa is regarded as 

 a remedy for dysuria. The tenacity of the fibres of some species is such that cordage 

 has been successfully manufactured from them ; the stalks of Ux'tica cannabma were 

 even expected, at one time, to be equal in strength to Hemp itself. Urtica tenacissima, 

 called Caloose m Sumatra, yields an extremely tough cordage in that island. — Boxb. 

 Flogging with nettles has been employed in cases of artlu'itis, paralysis, &c. Nettles when 

 very young and tender are commonly used as an ingi*edient in broth by the EngUsh 

 peasantry, who consider that they pmnfy the blood. The tubers of Urtica tuberosa 

 are esculent and nutritious ; the natives eat them raw, boiled, or roasted. — Hoxb. The 

 herbage and seeds of Urtica membranacea, an Egyptian plant, are regarded as emmcna- 

 gogue and aplirodisiac. Several Parietarias, especially P. erecta and diffusa, have had 

 some reputation as refrigerants and diuretics. The leaves when dried have been used 

 in pohshing mirrors. A decoction of Urtica dioica strongly salted, will coagulate milk 

 without gi%ing it any impleasaut flavom* ; the whole plant is esteemed astruigent and 

 diuretic. — Burnett. 



