NETTLE. 167 



two to four feet in height. The leaves are opposite, petiolate, 

 ovate-acuminate, cordate at the base, deeply serrated, rugose, 

 and dull dark green above, paler beneath, hispid on both sides, 

 with two small opposite concave reflexed stipulae at the 

 base of the petiole. The flowers are disposed in long, pendent, 

 somewhat branched clusters, frequently two from the axil of 

 each leaf, the male and female on separate plants, (dioecious,) 

 seldom monoecious. The male flowers have a perianth of four 

 ovate, obtuse, concave, spreading segments, and four setaceous 

 filaments * tipped with ovate-gibbous, two-celled anthers, and 

 a rudimentary glandular germen between the filaments. The 

 female flowers consist of a perianth of two ovate, obtuse, pilose 

 leaves f, and a superior, ovate, glabrous germen, terminated 

 by a sessile, downy, spreading stigma. The fruit is an ovate, 

 compressed, polished nut, containing a single seed, and enve- 

 loped by the persistent perianth. Plate 35, fig. 1, (a) male 

 flower of the natural size ; (b) female flower ; (c) male flower 

 magnified ; (c?) anther magnified ; (e) female flower magnified ; 

 (/) ripe fruit ; (g) the same divested of the calyx. 



The Nettle is well known as one of the most common plants 

 in waste places, and under walls and hedge banks. It flowers 

 in July and August. 



The generic name is derived from uro, to burn, in allusion to 

 its stinging property. The common name has a similar mean- 

 ing, being merely an alteration of needle, in Anglo-Saxon needl, 

 obviously referring to the needle-like stings of the plant. 



The other species of Nettle indigenous to Britain are the 

 small Nettle, (U. wrens,) characterized by its elliptical leaves, 

 with about five nearly parallel ribs, and nearly simple racemes 

 or clusters : and the Roman Nettle, (U. pilulifera,) distinguished 

 by its ovate leaves, with transverse nerves, and fertile flowers 

 in globose heads ; it grows on waste ground near the sea, is 

 more rare, and has more venomous stings than the common 

 nettle. But the effects of the stings of the European species are 

 trifling compared with some of the exotic, such as U. crenulata 



* The filaments are incurved at first, but they expand elastically at the 

 anthesis or opening of the flowers ; the anthers also discharge the pollen 

 with elasticity. 



f More correctly of four leaves, two of which increase in size with the 

 matured ovary, while the other two remain in their original state. 



