62. VRTICACBM. [ 2. Gieabdiitia. 



base and often marked by opaqne dots (dne to cystoliths). 

 Stipules usually membranous, sometimes intrapetiolar. Fls. 

 1-sexual in cymes or clusters which are sometimes spicate. 

 Sep. 4-5 free or nnited into a tnbe in the female, sometimes 

 2-3-merons or 0. St. one opposite each sepal. Ovary 1-celled, 

 1-carpellary with 1 erect orthotropons ovnle. Fr. a utricle, 

 ■ometimes enclosed or girt by the enlarged fleshy perianth. 



Flfl. cymose 2-5-merous. 



F. calyx campanulate 4-lob ed. L. (in C. N. sp.j entire 

 or nearly so . 1. Laportea. 



F. perianth tubular 2-3-toothed. L. distinctly serrate . 2. Girardinia. 



Fla. fascicled, clusters sometimes spic ate. 



Shrubs. Fls. clusters spicate. L. toothed . . .3. Bmhmeria. 



Herbs. Fls. clusters axillary. L. entire • •- . 4. Pouzohia. 



1. Laportea, liand 

 l. L. crenulata, Gaud. 



A soft stemmed shrab 3-8 ft. with white stotlt branches, 

 large shining elliptic peimi-nerved leaves and greenish flowers 

 in divaricate cymes. Utricle inflated white. 



Deep shady ravines m the Karampoda forest. Evergreen. Fls. Sept.- 

 Oct* Fr. Nov -Dec. 



L. 12" by 1|* or more, quite entire in C. N. specimens, minutely 

 pustular and with few scattered hairs. Inflorescence covered with hairs. 

 The sting of this nettle is most virulent, the effects sometimes lasting 

 for days and producing sleeplessness and fever. It has been noted, 

 however ^Hook. I|im. Jour, and by others), that it is worst in the autumn, 

 and indeed I have often found it quite innocuous at some times of the 

 year. This is due to the fact that the hairs are deciduous, and they are 

 especially abundant on the inflorescence. While catting coupe lines in 

 Nov. in the Sikkim Terai where the plant is abundant, the coolies have 

 been attacked with sneezing, catarrh and ultimately vertigo from, appa- 

 rently, inhaling the numeroua minute hairs. 



£. Girardinia, Gaud. 



1. G. zeylanica, Decaisne. Syn. G. heteropbylla, var. 

 xeylanica, F.B.I. Nettle. 



SS6 



