332 UETIGSJS. [URTICA. 



1. URTI'CA, Tmirnef. NETTLE. 



Herbs, rarely slmibby, with stinging liairs and tenacious inner bark. 

 Ltftves opposite ; stipules lateral. Flowers mon- di-oecious in bnu-tfjitc 

 clusters, ebracteolate. MALE. Pedicel jointed. Calyx 4-partite, per- 

 sistent ; lobes concave, imbricate in bud. Stamens 4 ; anthers renifonn. 

 FEMALE. Calyx 4-partite, segments unequal, flat. Stigma, sulisosili , 

 penicillate. Fruit compressed. DISTRIB. Temp, and trop. regions ; species 

 37. ETYM. uro, from the burning pain of its stings. 



1. U. u'rens, L. ; annual, glabrous except for the stinging hairs, 

 leaves ovate-oblong coarsely serrate, panicles 2-scxual. 



Fields and waste places ; ascending to 1,600 ft. in Northumberland ; fl. June- 

 Sapt. Stem 1-2 ft., erect, branched. Leaves 1-2 in., petioled . ; teeth few, 

 terminal oblong ; stipules 2 on each side. Spikes J-l in., in pairs. /'/<,,< ,:; 

 few in a cluster; pedicels long or short. DISTRIB. Europe ( Arctic ). N. 

 Africa, Siberia, W. Asia to the Himalaya ; introd. in N. America. 



2. U. dioi'ca, L. ; perennial, pubescent, leaves ovate-cordate or lanceo- 

 late deeply serrate, panicles usually 1 -sexual. 



Hedgebanks, &c., ascending to 2,500 ft. in the Highlands ; fl. June-Sept, 

 Rootsttock creeping, stoloniferous. Stem 2-4 ft., simple or branched. 

 Leaves 2-4 in., petioles long or short, nerves impressed ; stipules 2 on each 

 side, linear-oblong. Panicles 1-3 in., in pairs, males lax- females dense- 

 flowered, recurved. DISTKIB. N. temp, regions (Arctic), S. Africa, Andes, 

 Australia. The young leaves are a good pot-herb, and yield a green dye. 



3. U. pilnlif'era, L. ; annual, glabrous except for the stinging liairs, 

 leaves ovate or cordate entire or toothed, female flowers capitate. 



Waete places in England, chiefly near the sea, but rarely established : un 

 alien, \Vdtmm; fl. June-Aug. Stem 1-2 ft., simple or branched. /,".... 

 1-3 in., long-petioled ; stipules two on each side, ovate. ^}fule .*/_.//<.-. 

 panicled, peduncles very slender elongate. Female heads ^ in. diam.; 

 peduncles \ in., stout ; calyx very large. Flowers of both sexes much larger 

 than in the preceding species. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia ; 

 introd. in N. America. The most virulent British nettle. 



YAH. 1, pilnhf'era proper; leaves deeply serrate. VAR. 2, Dodar'tii, L. 

 (sp.) ; leaves entire or nearly so. 



2. PARIETA'RIA, Tournef. PELLITORY. 



Herbs, rarely shrubs. Leaves alternate, quite entire, exstipulate. 

 rimi-i'i-s clustered or cytnose, polygamous, 1-3-bracteate. Calyx of male 

 4-partite, valvate in bud ; of female tubular 4-fid. Stamens 4. Style 

 long or short, stigma papillose. Fruit included in the enlarged calyx. 

 DISTRIB. Temp, and trop. regions species 8. ETYM. paries, from 

 growing on walls. 



1. P. officinalis, L. ; leaves triple-nerved. P. diffusa, Koch. 

 Old walls and hedgebanks, &c., from Forfar southwards ; fl. June-Oct. 

 Perennial, pubescent with curled hairs. Rootstw.k short, woody. >'/.;. 

 1-2 ft., tufted, erect (var. erecta, Lond. Cat. not Koch), or decumbent (P. 

 j'tt/.tii.r, Gren. and Godr.), terete ; branches slender, leafy. Leaves -\-4 in., 

 elliptic-lanceolate or ovate, obtuse or acute, petiole slender. /'/</./> in 



