SPERMATOPHYTA— URTICACEAE 413 



Distribution. From New Foundland to Florida and also on Pacific Coast. 

 Poisonous properties. This nettle has been used in medicine but it is 

 not officinal. Formerly it was used for flagellation of the skin. 



Urtica holosericea Nutt 



A tall perennial with stinging hairs; leaves thick, oblong, ovate or ovate- 

 lanceolate ; flowers in open panicles. 



Urtica dioica L. Stinging Nettle 



An erect perennial; leaves and stems beset with stinging hairs; leaves thin, 

 ovate, long petioled, acute or acuminate at the apex, cordate at the base, sharply 

 serrate ; flowers in large clusters, cymose-paniculate, often dioecious. 



Distribution. Native to Europe but largely naturalized in North America 

 from Atlantic coast to Minnesota and Missouri. 



Poisonous properties. Poisonous like the preceding 



3. Laportea Gaudichaud. Wood Nettle. 



Perennial herbs with stinging hairs; flowers monoecious or dioecious in 

 loose cymes, the lower mostly sterile; staminate flowers with 5 imbricated sepals; 

 5 stamens and a rudimentary ovary; pistillate flowers with 4 unequal sepals; 

 stigma elongate, awl-shaped ; achene ovate flat ; endosperm scant or obscure. 

 About 25 species in warm countries. 



Fig. 193. Common Nettle (Urtica dioica). 

 Sometimes causes urticaria. (From Johnson's Med. 

 Bot. of N. A.) 



