UBTJGAGEM. 51 7 



GENERA. 



I. URTICE^E. 



1. TJrtica T. — Flowers monoecious or dioecious ; receptacle small 

 convex. Male calyx 4-phyllous ; sepals free or connate at very base, 

 subequal, concave inside, outside more or less stinging hispid ; bud 

 depressed at apex ; pignoration alternative-imbricate ; lateral sepals 

 interior. Stamens 4, oppositisepalous ; filaments free, inserted 

 under generally cupuliform hyaline rudiment of gynseceum, rather 

 thick, inflexed in bud, elastically patent at anthesis ; anthers 2-celled, 

 introrse ; longitudinally rimose. Female calyx 4-phyllous ; sepals 

 free or connate at base, decussate-imbricate ; lateral 2, in pignora- 

 tion interior, larger, erect sometimes cucullate ; exterior usually much 

 smaller, sometimes subcarinate, patent. Germen free, 1- celled; style 

 short or nearly absent, soon dilated to papillose-stigmatose long 

 penicillate-capitate apex, either deciduous or rather long-persistent. 

 Ovule 1, inserted behind a little above base of cell, ascending sub- 

 erect orthotropous ; micropyle superior, usually adhering to top of 

 cell by narrow obturator ; funicle short or nearly absent. Fruit dry 

 straight, oblong or ovate, compressed rather smooth or verruculose, 

 clothed in enlarged membranous or very rarely rather fleshy calyx. 

 Seed suberect suborthotropous ; albumen fleshy ; cotyledons of axile 

 fleshy embryo obcordate-rotundate or subelliptical ; radicle superior 

 cylindro-conical. — Annual or perennial herbs, rarely frutescent; leaves 

 opposite petiolate, dentate or more rarely entire or incised-lobate, 

 palmately 5-7 or very rarely 3-ribbed, sprinkled with punctiform or 

 more rarely linear cystoliths ; stipules lateral interpetiolar or con- 

 nate in pairs : flowers small glomerulate ; glomeruli bracteate at base, 

 spicate or racemose in simple or branching axis (not 2-chotomous) 

 sometimes rather thick, sometimes 1-lateral, more rarely solitary or 

 capitate; inflorescences 1 -sexual or androgynous 2-nate in each axile; 

 male pedicels articulate, usually ebracteate (All cold, temperate, and 

 warm regions). See p. 497. 



