1192 URTICA. (CLASS XXI, ORDER 1V. 
GENUS XI. UR'TICA—Linn. Nettle. 
Nat. Ord. Unti'cex. Juss. 
Grn. Cuar. Barren flowers in loose racemes, perianth single, four 
partite, Stamens four, curved inwards before the anthers are 
matured. Fertile flowers in capitate racemes, perianth single, of 
two pieces. Stigma single. Jruit single seeded, surrounded 
with the perianth Name from uro, to burn; in allusion to the 
burning sensation its stings produce. 
1. U. pilulifiera, Linn, (Fig. 1450.) Roman Nettle. Leaves oppo- 
site, ovate, acuminate, deeply serrated; ribs transverse; fertile 
flowers in globular heads. 
English Botany, t. 148.—English Flora, vol. iv. p. 184.—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed, 4. vol. i. p 345.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 219. 
fioot fibrous. Stem erect, about two feet high, branched, obtusely 
four angled, often purplish, leafy, and copiously furnished with 
venemous hairs. Leaves opposite, petiolated, ovate, acuminate, some- 
what heart-shaped at the base, deeply inciso-serrated, a greyish green 
above, paler beneath the mid-rib, and transverse lateral ribs distinct. 
Stipules ovate. Inflorescence axillary, the barren flowers in loose 
branched spreading paniculated racemes, perianth in four ovate hairy 
segments, fertile flowers in globose clusters, about the size of a 
marble, elevated on a short peduncle, the perianth of two oblong 
hairy pieces. Seed ovate, compressed, smooth brown. 
Habitat Under walls and amongst rubbish, especially near the 
sea. Norfolk, Suffolk; Ballylickery, South of Ireland. 
Annual; flowering in June and July. 
The U. Dodartii, Liun., is found along the east coast of England, 
and is distinguished by its nearly entire ovate lanceolate leaves, the 
stipules being lanceolate; the fruit is smooth, and the flowers are in 
globose stalked clusters. It, perhaps, has as much right to a place 
in our Flora as the proceeding, as both are naturalized plants, and 
not originally natives. 
2. U. wrens, Linn. (Fig. 1451.) Small Netile. Leaves opposite, 
deeply serrated, ovate, acute, with about five parallel ribs; clusters of 
flowers nearly simple, shorter than the petioles. 
English Botany, t. 1236.—English Flora, vol. iv. p. 184 —Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 345.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 219. 
Root fibrous. Stem erect, about a foot high, obtusely angular, 
branched, leafy, often purplish. Leaves opposite, ovate, acute, deeply 
cut into large often serrate teeth, a bright green, paler beneath, fur- 
nished with numerous venemous hairs, a prominent mid-rib and 
lateral parallel ribs. Inflorescence axillary, in simple racemose 
clusters, mostly shorter than the leaf stalks. Perianth of ovate 
