136 PLANTS OP NEW ZEALAND 



Urticaceae. 



THE NETTLE FAMILY. 



Distribution. A family of under 500 species found in almost every part 

 of the globe. The Nettles are the best-known plants belonging to it. The 

 stamens are bent down in the bud and often explode when ripe. Some of the 

 species yield remarkably tenacious fibres, which are used in cordage. (Name 

 from the Latin, signifying to burn, from the burning, stinging sensation caused 

 by the hairs of the nettles.) 



Key to the Genera. 



1. Tree, juice milky. Male flowers spiked. Paratrophis, p. 136. 

 Shrubs or herbs, juice watery. 



2. Leaves with stinging hairs. Flowers in spikes or racemes. Urtica, p. 136. 

 Leaves without stinging hairs. Flowers in cymes or 



clusters. 3 



3. Shrubs. Leaves entire. Stamens, 4 Parietaria, p. 138 

 Herbs. 4 



4. Herbs, leaves crenate. Stamen 1. tAustralina. 

 Herbs, with red brown leaves. Flowers in a fleshy receptacle. Elatostema, p. 138. 



tNot further described. 



Genus Paratrophis. 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, hard, evergreen. Flowers in spikes ot 

 catkins, dioecious. Perianth of 4 leaflets. Ovary, ovoid ; styles, 2. Fruit a nut 

 or drupe, 1-seeded. A small genus, chiefly tropical. 3 sp. 



Paratrophis heterophylla (The Milk-tree). 



Tree, sometimes 30-40 ft. in height. If a slit be cut in the bark of this 

 tree, a thick, sweet, milky juice will flow from it. Leaves in. -2 in. long, oblong, 

 toothed. Male flowers in catkins, in. -fin. long; female in short spikes or 

 clusters, whitish green. Drupe, red. Both islands. The Milk-tree of the 

 settlers. Fl. Oct.-Nov. 



Genus Urtica. 



Herbs or shrubs, with stinging hairs. Leaves, opposite ; flowers in axillary 

 clusters or spikes. Calyx of male flowers 4-partite, stamens 4. Calyx of female 

 flowers 2 or unequally 4-partite ; stigma tufted. Ovary, ovoid. Ovule, erect. 

 Fruit a small dry nut. About 30 species, natives of tropical and temperate 

 regions. 4 sp. 



Urtica ferox (The Fierce Nettle). 



A tall shrub ; stem woody ; stinging hairs rigid, in.-J in. long. Leaves 

 2 in. - 5 in. long, variable in shape, coarsely serrate teeth ending in a hard bristle. 

 Leaf-stalks also covered with stinging hairs. Flowers in racemes. Both islands. 

 Fl. Jan.-March. Maori name Onga-onga. 



