ORDER 115. URTICACE^E. 637 



same axiL Rare northward, frequent South. Feb., Mar. (South). Apr. Jn. 

 (North). Eur. 



4 TJ. purpurascens Nutt. Assurgent, beset with spreading stings ; Ivs. broadly 

 ovate, cordate, 3-veined, coarsely crenate-serrate ; glomerules capitate, much shorter 

 than the petioles, dense, axillary, spicate at top. Ky. to La. Sis. purplish, 12 

 to 18' high, clustered. Lvs. variegated, 1' long and wide, petiole (i to 9". Mar. 

 -May. 



5 TJ. chamaedroides Ph. St. bristly with stings ; Ivs. svbsessile, ovate, serrat^, 

 strigous beneath ; glomerules axillary, sessile, subglobous, reflexed. On the islands 

 of Ga. (Pursh.) Lvs. small. Stings whita and very conspicuous. May. Is this 

 a variety of U. urens ? 



2. LAPORTEA, Gaudich. WOOD NETTLE. Flowers 8 or $ $ ; $ 

 calyx 5-partcd ; stamens 5 ; ovary rudimentary, hemispherical ; $ calyx 

 4-sepaled, the 2 outer minute, the 2 inner fo'liaceous in fruit ; stigma 

 subulate, elongated ; achenia compressed-lenticular, very oblique, finally 

 reflexecl on the winged pedicel. Zf Hairs stinging. Lvs. ample, alter- 

 nate, ovate. Fls. in axillary panicles, the lower sterile, upper fertile. 

 L. Canadensis Gaud. Hispid and stinging ; Ivs. on long petioles, broad-ovate, 



rounded or subcordate at base, serrate, acuminate ; panicles axillary, solitary or 

 in pairs, divaricate, mostly shorter than the petioles, the fertile nearly terminal, 

 elongated in fruit. Damp woods, U. S. and Can. St. 1 to 6f high, mostly simple, 

 flexuous at top. Lvs. 3 to 5' by 2 to 3', more or less hispid both sides, sometimes 

 nearly smooth. Lower petioles 3' long. Fls. minute, in panicles 1 to 4' in length, 

 the fertile panicle about 2', erect, enlarged ia fruit. Aug. (Urtica Canadensis 

 and divaricata L.) 



3. PI V LEA, Lindley. RICH-WEED. (Lat. pileus, a cap ; from the 

 resemblance of one of the sepals of P. muscosa.) Flowers 8 or $ $ . 



<5 Calyx of 3 or 4 equal sepals ; stamens 3 or 4. ? Calyx of 3 oblong, 

 unequal sepals ; stamens rudiments 3, cucullatc opposite the sepals ; 

 achenium roughened, opaque, ovate, erect, nearly naked. Op Smooth, 

 stinglcss, with opposite Ivs., united stipules and dense, axillary clusters, 

 both kinds mixed. 



P. piimila Gr. Ascending, weak, succulent ; Ivs. on long petioles, rhombic- 

 ovate, crenate-serrate, membranous and glabrous, 3-veined; Us. in short clusters; 

 sepals slightly unequal. (T) In waste places, about buildings and in woods, U. 

 S. and Can. St. fleshy, semi-transparent when growing in shades, smooth and 

 shining, 3 to 18' long, simple or branched. Lvs. pale green, 1 to 2' by 8 to 16", 

 petioles of about the same length. Sep. much shorter than the greenish, mottled 

 achenium, one of them a little longer than the other two. Jl. Sept (Urtica, 

 L. Ad ice, Raf.) 



4. BdHME'RIA, Jacq. FALSE NETTLE. (Named for G. F. Ba>Jimer, 

 a German botanist.) Flowers or $ $ . $ Calyx 4-parted, with lan- 

 ceolate, acute segments ; stamens 4 ; $ calyx tubular, truncate or 4- 

 toothcd, persistent and closely investing the ovate, pointed achenium. 

 Herbs or shrubs, stingless. Lvs. opposite or alternate. Fls. clus- 

 tered. 



1 B. cylfndrica Willd. Herbaceous, dioecious, smoothish; Ivs. opposite, ovate, 

 acuminate, dentate, on long petioles ; sterile spikes interrupted, fertile cylindric. 

 A coarse, nettle-like plant, in swamps and bottoms, Mid. and W. States. St 

 Blender, obtusely 4-angled, channeled on each side, 2 to 3f high. Lvs. 3-veined, 

 3 to 5' long, half as wide, petioles 2 to 3', the upper sometimes not quito opposite. 

 Fls. minute, the fertile spikes 1 to 2' in length, the barren spikes longer and moro 

 slender. Jl., Aug. (Urtica capitata L ?) 



2 B. lateriflora Muhl. Whole plant rough-pubescent, monoecious; ks.attaUer- 

 jiafe, ovate-lanceolate, long-acurcinate. dentate, rounded r.rd subpeltate at bxse, on 



