63(5 ORDER 115. TJRTICACE.E. 



ORDER CXV. URTICACE^E. NETTLEWORTS. 



Herbs (and some tropical shrubs) with a watery juice, a tough, fibrous bark. 

 Leaves stipulate, often opposite, flowers small, monoecious or dioecious, in panicles, 

 racemes, or dense clusters, furnished with a regular calyx. Stamens opposite to the 

 calyx lobes. Ovary 1-celled, ovulo erect, orthotropous. Fruit a simple achenium. 

 Figs. 50, 459. 



Genera 25, xpecies 700? generally diffused in all climes. We retain under this order the Can- 

 nabinea 1 , dismissing tho Artocarpeae, thus constituting a group which is at least practii-ully 

 natural. 



FropertleK. The Nettleworts are remarkable for tho caustic secretion of their glandular, 

 s f inging hairs, which, bad enough in our common nettle, attains a terrible virulence in certain 

 K. Indian species. The juice of the llempworts is bitter and narcotic. Savage nations pro- 

 cure an intoxicating liquor from tho Hemp, and the more civilized a strong stimulant from the 

 Hop. Tho fibrous bark of Hemp and other species is highly valuable in the arts. 



SUBORDERS AND GENERA. 



L UUTICE^E. Filaments crenulato, expanding clastically. Fertile calyx 3 to 5-sepaled or 

 toothed. Seed albuminous, with n straight embryo (*). 



* Herbs with stinging hairs. Stamens 4. Leaves opposite URTICA. 1 



Stamens 5. Leaves alternate LAPORTEA. 2 



"* Herbs stingless. Stamens 8. Fertile calyx S-sepaled. Leaves opposite PILEA. S 



Stamens 4. Fls. in slender spikes. Lvs. o pp. or alt BCEHMEKIA. 4 



Fls. in involucrate cymes. Lvs. altern. .PAUIKTAUIA. 5 



II. CANKABINE^E. Filaments straight, or not clastic. Fertile calyx of 1 sepal, lateral, em- 

 bracing the ovary. Seed exalbuminous, with a curved or spiral embryo (*). 



* Fruit a vaivclefs achenium, in a strobile-like ament. Twining HuMULirs. 6 



* Fruit a 2-valved caryopsis, in axillary pairs. Lvs. digitate CANNABIS. 7 



1. URTICA, Tourn. NETTLE. (Lat. wro, to burn ; in reference to 

 the stinging species.) Flowers 8 , sometimes $ ? ; $ calyx 4-scpaled, 

 with a cup-shaped, central rudiment of an ovary ; stamens 4 ; $ calyx 

 persistent, 4-sepalcd, the outer pair minute, the inner at length sur- 

 rounding the shining, compressed achenium ; stigma 1, sessile. Herbs 

 with stinging hairs. Lvs. opposite. Fls. green, in axillary or subter- 

 niinal clusters or racemes. 



Clusters compound, longer than the petioles Nos. 1, 2 



Clusters simple, shorter'; or not longer than the petioles Nos. 85 



1 TJ. procera Willd. St. tall, simple, 4-sided, slightly hispid with few stings; Ivs. 

 lanceolate, a^ute or obtuse at base, rough, hispid, prominently 5-veined, acutely ser- 

 rate; panicles axillary, very branching, numerous, interruptedly spicate, lower 

 ones sterile, upper fertile. Borders of nelds, waste places, N. Eng. and Can. St. 

 3 to 5f high, with a tough bark. Lvs. with the serratures incurved, acute or 

 somewhat acuminate at apex, 3 times longer than the petioles. Fls. in glomerate 

 panicles on the upper part of the stem. Jl. (U. gracilis Ait.) 



2 U. dioica L. STINGING NETTLE. Very hispid and stinging ; Ivs. cordate, lance- 

 ovate, conspicuously acuminate, coarsely and acutely serrate, the poiiit entire, pet- 

 ioles thrice shorter ; fls. Q or (, , in branching, clustered, axillary, interrupted 

 spikes longer than the petioles. H Waste places, common. Stem 2 4f high, 

 branching, obtusely 4-angled, with opposite, short-stalked leaves which are 3 4' 

 long, and about ,} as wide. Flowers small, green, in axillary clusters, of mean 

 aspect, corresponding with tho insidious character of the plant. JL, Aug. 

 Eur. Its power of stinging resides in minute, tubular hairs or prickles, which 

 transmit a venomous fluid wl 



3 TT. urens L. DWARF NETTLE. Lvs. broadly elliptic, or ovate, petiolal?, 3- 

 veined, deeply and acutely serrato ; clusters in spike-like, loose, simple pairs. CC 

 Weed, in cultivated grounds. Stem 12 20' high, hispid with venomous stingf, 

 branching. Leaves 1' or more long, half as broad, on short petioles and with 

 large serratures. Stipules small, lanceolate, reflexed. FJowcrs in drooping, p' 

 dunculatc clusters about as long as tho p3tioles, both the sterile and fertile iu tl.e 



