176 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 
THE NETTLE GROUP. 
There are two British Nettles, and another plant, 
Pellitory-of-the-wall, included in the order Urticacez. 
The total number of species found throughout the 
world is nearly five hundred in the temperate and 
tropical regions. 
They are herbs or undershrubs without any latex. 
A few reach the size of trees. Hemp, which also is 
occasionally found in Britain as an escape related to 
Hop and included in the order Cannabinez, is 
nearly allied to the Nettle. 
Amongst foreign related plants are the bread fruit, 
fig, and others, but these are now placed in different 
orders. 
They are divided into two groups, those with 
stinging hairs such as Nettle, those without, such as 
Pellitory. : 
Of the East Indian Nettle, Urtica crenulata, De La 
Tour writes: 
“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 noattention. This 
was at seven in the morning. The pain continued 
to increase. In an hour it had become intolerable ; 
it seemed as if someone was rubbing my hand with 
a red hot iron. Still there was no remarkable 
appearance, neither swelling, nor pustule, nor inflam- 
mation. The pain spread rapidly along the arm as 
far as the armpit. I was then seized with violent 
