Spurges and Nettles 293 
fiery plants. The Roman Nettle (U. pilulifera) is 
regarded as an alien that has got settled under our 
walls and on ourrubbish-heaps. According to legend, 
the Roman soldiers who occupied Britain were dis- 
eusted with the coldness of our climate, and took to 
flagellating themselves and each other with Nettles 
to get up a circulation of their sluggish blood; but 
our Nettles were considered too weak for the purpose, 
Male flower, 1st state Male flower, 2nd state 
Nettle 
so they sent home for the more virulent pilulifera, 
and we are invited to believe that thus the Roman 
Nettle was introduced to Britain ! 
The flowers are distinctly male and female. In the 
Small Nettle (U. wrens) the two kinds 
of flowers are found in the same panicle, Qs wy 
but in the other species they are kept $ \\ 
distinct. There is only one floral en- \\w Hm 
velope (perianth), consisting of four  \Wiey! 
green segments which are concave and \ 
equal in the male, flat and unequal in res 
the female. When the male flowers are cane gee 
still unopened buds, the stamens are 
curled up within: when the bud opens, the stamens 
unroll with force, the anthers burst, and the pollen 
