636 ORDER 115. URTICACE^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, ovule erect, orthotropous. Fruit a simple achenium. 

 Figs. 50, 459. 



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

 nabineap, dismissing the Artocarpeae, thus constituting a group which is ut least practically 

 natural. 



Properties. The Nettleworts are remarkable for the caustic secretion of their glandular, 

 stinging hairs, which, bad enough in our common nettle, attains a terrible virulence in certain 

 E. Indian species. The juice of the Hernpworts is bitter and narcotic. Savage nations pro- 

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

 Hop. The fibrous bark of Hemp and other species is highly valuable in the aits. 



SUBORDEKS AND GENERA. 



I. UllTICE^E. Filaments crenulate, expanding clastically. Fertile calyx 3 to 5-sepaled or 



toothtd. Seed albuminous, with a straight embryo (*). 



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



Stamens 5. Leaves alternate LAPORTEA. 2 



* Herbs stingless. Stamens 3. Fertile calyx 3-sepaled. Leaves opposite PILEA. 3 



Stamens 4. Fls. iu slender spikes. Lvs. opp. or alt B&UMERIA. 4 



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



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



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



* Fruit aval veless achenium, in a strobile-like ament. Twining Ht'MULus. G 



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



1. UR'TICA, Tourn. NETTLE. (Lat. uro, to burn ; in reference to 



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

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

 persistent, 4-sepaled', 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- 

 minal clusters or racemes. 



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



Clusters simple, shorter, or not longer than the petioles Nos. 3 5 



1 U. procera "Willd. St. tall, simple, 4-sided, slightly hispid with few stings ; lis. 

 lanceolate, acute or obtuse at lose, rough, hispid, prominently 5-veined, acutely ser- 

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

 ones sterile, upper fertile. Borders of fields, 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 IT. dioica L. STINGING NETTLE. Very hispid and stinging ; Ivs. cordate, lance- 

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

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

 spikes longer than the petioles. If 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 the insidious character of the plant. Jl., Aug. 

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

 transmit a venomous fluid when pressed. 



3 TJ. iirens L. DWARF NETTLE. Lvs. broadly elliptic, or ovate, petiolate, 3- 

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

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

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

 large serratures. Stipules small, lanceolate, reflexed. Flowers in drooping, pe- 

 dunculate clusters about as long as the petioles, both the sterile and fertile in the 



