URT 



U R T 



which are taper, still", and have a dark -tureen 

 hark : the leaves about two inches ami a quarter 

 broad, dark-green above, and pale-green beneath, 

 upon pretty long footstalks : the (lowers axillary, 

 solitary, sessile, shaped like those of the Mal- 

 low, but small and of a deep blush colour. It 

 is a native of China, flowering here in Julv and 

 August. 



The second species has a sufTruticose stem, 

 upright, three feet high, with ascending branch- 

 es:- the leaves Sinuate-palmate, with obtuse 

 sinuses, serrate, rough, alternate, petioled, 

 having a single glandular pore on the middle 

 rib underneath : the flowers are rose-coloured, 

 small, subsolitary, axillary. It is a native of 

 the East Indies. 



Culture. — These plants may be increased by 

 seeds, which should be sown on a hot-bed, or 

 in pots plunged into it, in the early spring sea- 

 son. When the plants have some growth, they 

 should be removed into separate pots, being re- 

 plunged in a fresh hot-bed, requirintr. afterwards 

 the same management as tender exotic plants. 

 When placed in the stove in the sprine, they 

 ripen seeds the first year, but otherwise in the 

 second, and seldom continue longer. 



Thev afford variety among other stove plants. 



URTICA, a genus furnishing plants of the 

 hardv herbaceous kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Monoecia 

 Tetiaridria, and ranks in the natural order of 

 ScairidcB. 



The characters are : that in the male flowers 

 the calyx is a four-leas'ed perianth : leaflets 

 roundish, concave, obtuse : the corolla petals 

 none: nectary in the centre of the flower, cup- 

 shaped, entire, narrower below, very small : 

 the stamina have four awl-shaped filaments, 

 length of the calyx, spreading, each within each 

 caryx-1eaf: anthers two-celled: female flowers 

 either on the same or a distinct plant : the calyx 

 is a two-valved perianth, ovate, concave, erect, 

 permanent : there is no corolla : the pistillum is 



an ovate trcrni ■ style none : stijma viliosc: there 

 is no pc j.iipium: calyx com raring: th 

 one, ovate, blunt, 



The species cultivati a arei • . I ' catuit 

 Hemp-leaved Nettle : .•. ( . I , I m.ulu 



Nettle: 3. U. niuea, Chinese or Whin 

 Nettle. 



The first has a perennial root : the -tunsli.c 

 or six feet high : the leaves oblong, deeply cut 

 into three lobes, which are acutely indented on 

 their edges, and placed on loot; petioles: the 

 flowers axillary in long cylindrical catkins : 

 males en the lower part, females on the upper. 

 It is a native of Siberia, flowering in Julv. 



The second species has also a perennial i 

 the stems two feet high : the flower* in axillary 

 branching aments ; appearing towards autumn, 

 hut seldom followed by seeds in this climate. 

 It is at first male only, hut afterwards ha- nude 

 and female flowers on the same plant. It is a 

 native of Canada and Virginia. 



The third is a perennial plant, sending up 

 many stalks from the root, which rise three or 

 four feet high : the leaves are four inches long, 

 and two inches and a half broad, serrate, of a 

 deep green on their upper side, but very white 

 on their under ; having five longitudinal veins; 

 they stand upon very long footstalks : the flow ers 

 axillary in loose aments, and not succeeded by 

 seeds in this climate. It is a native of th< 

 Indies. 



Culture. — These plants may be increased bv 

 parting or slipping the roots in the autumn or 

 earl\' in the spring, and planting them out where 

 thev are to remain. 



The third sort is rather tender, and should 

 have a dry situation where it is warm and shel- 

 tered, or be kept in pots to be sheltered under 

 frames, or in the green-house, during the seve- 

 ritv of the winter season. 



The two first sorts afford variety in the borders 

 and clumps of pleasure grounds, and the la^t 

 among potted plants. 



V A L 



V A I. 



\ "VALERIANA, a genus containing plants 

 of the hardy herbaceous perennial Kind. 

 It belongs to the class and order Triandria 

 ilonogynia, and ranks in the natural order of 



Aggregate. 

 The 



characters are: that there is scarcely any 

 calyx ; a superior margin : the corolla a nectari- 

 ferous tube on the lower side, gibbous : border 

 live-cleft: segments obtuse: the stamina three, 

 Vol. II. 



or fewer (in one species four): filaments awl- 

 shaped, erect, length of the corolla: ai 

 roundish : the pistillum is an inferior germ : 

 style filiform, length of the stamens : stit'ina 

 thickish: the pericarpium a crust not opening, 

 deciduous, crowned : the seeds solitary, oblong. 

 The species cultivated arc : l. /". ruora, Com- 

 mon or Broad-leaved Red Valerian; 9. ) 

 guslifulia, Narrow-leaved Red Valerian : ! 

 3 R 



