108 Urticaceae 



and shorter; inner sepals ovate, densely hispid, 1 mm. long, 

 about equaling the broadly ovate achene. 



Very common along streams and in low ground in the valleys and the 

 lower altitudes of the mountains. May-September. 



3. U. Breweri Wats. Much resembling the last, grayish with 

 a short hispid pubescence or nearly glabrous and with scattered 

 bristles; petioles slender, 2.5-5 cm. long, about \4 the length of 

 the leaves; flower clusters rather open, scarcely exceeding the 

 petioles; sepals obovate or somewhat rounded, obtuse, minutel)' 

 hispid, nearly 2 mm. long and about twice the length of the 

 broadly ovate achene. 



"Frequent about Los Angeles (Breiuer) and ranging eastward to southern 

 Colorado and western Texas." Bot. Cal. 2 : 64. 1880. Not seen by us, nor has 

 it been by recent collectors. 



2. HESPEBOCNIDE Torr. WESTERN NETTLE. 



Annual herbs distinguished from Urtica by the pistil- 

 late perianth, which is a membranous flattened oblong- 

 ovate sac, with a minutely 2-4-toothed orifice. 



1. H. tenella Torr. Slender and weak, 25-50 cm. high, simple 

 or branched, somewhat hispid with branching hairs and bristly ; 

 leaves 1-3 cm. long, thin, ovate, obtusely serrate; petioles slen- 

 der, > as long ; flower clusters rather dense, nearly glomerate, 

 shorter than the petioles; calyx thin, hispid, with hooked hairs, 

 in fruit 1-1.5 mm. long; achene membranous, striately tubercu- 

 late with minutely rough points. 



Sepulveda Canyon, Santa Monica Mountains; San Pedo Hills; also near 

 San Diego and on Catalina Island. 



3. PABIETABIA L. 



Ours slender annuals without stinging hairs. Leaves 

 alternate, entire, 3-nerved petioled, without stipules. 

 Flowers in axillary glomerate clusters, polygamous, sub- 

 tended by leafy bracts. Calyx of the perfect flowers 

 4-parted, in the pistillate tubular-ventricose, 4-cleft with 

 connivent lobes. Style slender or none ; stigma spatu- 

 late, recurved, densely tufted. Achene ovoid, smooth 



