130 ENGLISH BOTANY. 
permanently established in any of these localities. In Ireland it has 
been found near Bantry and Carberry, but doubtless introduced. 
[England, Ireland.] Annual, [Biennial or Perennial. Gren. & 
Godr.] Late Summer, Autumn. 
Stem 1 to 3 feet high, erect, simple, or branched. _ Leaves 1) to 4 
inches long, on much longer petioles than those of U. dioica, which they 
otherwise closely resemble. Stipules ovate, much broader than those of 
U. dioica; the chief difference, however, lies in the inflorescence, 
which, in the case of the female flowers, is not collected into spikes, 
but forms rounded heads, which in fruit become globular and as large 
as a black currant. The inner sepals also are much larger and turned 
over at the apex. The seed is pitchy brown, longer in proportion and 
much larger than that of the common nettle. 
The var. @ has a very different aspect from the leaves being entire, 
but is not constant in this when raised from seed, and very frequently 
individuals occur with the leaves entire and serrate, or partially 
serrate. Mr. H. C. Watson, in his “Cybele Britannica,” vol. i. 
p. 370, was the first to point out the impossibility of separating the 
two as distinct species. 
Roman Nettle. 
French, Ortie @ pilules. German, Pillentragende Nessel. 
A curious story is told by Camden of this species. He writes: “That when Julius 
Cesar landed at Romney, the soldiers brought some of the nettle seed with them, and 
sowed it there for their use, to rub and chafe their limbs, when, through extreme cold, 
they should be stiff and benumbed, being told before they came from home that the 
climate of Britain was so cold that it was not to be endured without some friction 
to warm their blood.” ‘ 
SPECIES UL—URTICA URENS. Lim. 
Prare MCCLXXXII. 
Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ. et Helv. Vol. XII. Tab. DCLU. Fig. 1320. 
Billot, Fl. Gall. et Germ. Exsice. No. 457. 
Annual. Leaves opposite, oval, rounded or truncate at the base, 
subobtuse or subacute, deeply inciso-serrate, on petioles usually as 
long as the breadth of the lamina. Flowers monecious. Male and 
female flowers intermixed, in glomerules arranged in short simple 
spikes; female flowers the most numerous; spikes in pairs, shorter than 
the petioles of the leaves, ascending or spreading. Fruit glomerules 
minute, few-flowered, not globular; fruit sepals concave, none of them 
hooded. Plant with stinging hairs. 
A weed in cultivated ground, and in waste places and by roadsides. 
Common, and generally distributed. 
