254 



cxxiiiD. URTiCACE^ (Reiidle). 



[Urera. 



persistent periantli ; pericarp thinly crustaceous. Seed-coat thin, 

 conforming to the pericarp ; albumen very scanty ; cotyledons 

 broad, flat. — Climbing shrubs or small trees, often with stinging hairs, 

 which are sometimes borne on simple or compound protuberances. 

 Leaves alternate, petioled, simple, entire, toothed or crenate, 3- 

 nerved at or just above the base, penninerved above. Stipules 

 connate, 2-nerv^ed, more or less divided above, generally falling early. 

 Inflorescences solitary in the axils of existing or fallen leaves, 

 generally with a short but sometimes a long peduncle ; bracts small. 



Species about 30, in tropical America and Africa, and in the Mascarenc and 

 Pacific Islands. 



Plant neither densely hairy nor with slender creeping 

 stem. 

 Lc\aves ova|e or rotund-ovate, many-nerved (with 

 3-5 pairs of lateral nerves above the basal 

 nerves) 



Leaves with 2-3 pairs of lateral nerves above the 

 basal nerves (see- also no. 12), rarely only one 

 I)air (sometimes in no. 5). 

 Ix'aves elliptic to oblong-elHptic, on long slender 

 stalks ; stem armed or unarmed. 

 Leaf margin minutely serrate ; female inflor- 

 escence arising in the leaf -axils 



Leaf margin entire ; female inflorescence arising 

 in the axils of fallen leaves 



Leaves obovate to elliptic -obovate, short-stalked ; 



stem armed. 



leaves with 3 pairs of lateral nerves above the 



base ; jx^rianth not completely enveloping 



the ovary ... ... ... 



Leaves with 1 or 2 pairs of lateral nerves above 

 the base ; perianth completely enveloping 

 the ovary ... ... ... ' 



Leaves elliptic to ovate -elliptic. 



Base emarginate to shallowiy cordate, margin 

 entire or obscurely crenate. 

 Stem unarmed 



Stem profusely armed 



Base cordate, margin crenate -dentate... 



Leaves ovate -cordate, margin undulate ; 

 armed 



\dron. 

 U. hi/psdoden- 



U. oblov/jifolia 

 U. Thonneri. 



stem 



Leaves cuneate, with 3-4 pairs of nerves above the 

 basal 



Leaves elliptic, with 1 pair of nerves (sometimes 2 in 

 no. 12) above the base. 

 Leaves 3-6 in. long. 



A climbing shrub ; branches unarmed 



A tree ; branches armed. . . 



Leaves 2 1 in. long or less 



Plant very hairy ; lower face of leaves tomentose . . . 

 Plant with slender creeping stem and cordate leaves... 



