^■^^ UETiCACE^. {Parietaria. 



Tribe I. Urticem. 



" Flowers usually separate from each other. Filaments curved 

 inwards during (estivation, then bending outivards. Anthers 

 inverted in (estivation. Style and stigma 1. Ovule erect. Em- 

 bryo straight, in the axis of fleshy fbut often thinj albumen. Sti- 

 pules small." — Br. Fl. 



I. Urtica, Linn. Nettle. 



" Moncecious or dioecious. — Barren flowers : — Perianth of 4 

 leaves, containing the rudiment of a pistil. Stamens 4. — Fertile 

 flowers :— -Perianth of 2 leaves, with sometimes 3 external smaller 

 ones or bracteas. Stigma 1, sessile, penicOlate. Fruit an achene. 

 — Leaves opposite." — Br. i'l. 



1. U. dioica, L. Great Nettle. " Leaves ovato-acuminate or 

 ovato-lanceolate serrate cordate or rounded at the base, spikes in 

 pairs mostly dioecious much branched longer than the petiole, 

 root perennial." — Br. Fl. p.373. E.B. t. 1750. 



In waste ground, along hedges, in woods and by roadsides; abundantly. Fl. 

 July, August. !(.. 



3. U. urens, L. Small Nettle. " Leaves elliptical serrate with 

 about 5 nearly parallel ribs, spikes in pairs oblong nearly simple 

 shorter than the petiole, achenes obscurely granulate opaque, 

 root annual."— .Br. Fl. p. 373. E. B. t. 1336. 



In waste ground, on rubbish, and by roadsides ; common. Fl. June — Septem- 

 ber. . 



II. Paeietaeia, Linn. Pellitory. 



" Where the mouldering walls are seen 

 Hung with pellitory green." 



Clare. 



" Polygamous. Perianth 4-fid. Stamens 4, wanting in some 

 flowers ; filaments transversely wrinkled, at first incurved, then 

 bending back with elastic force. Style filiform. Stigma penicil- 

 late. Achene shining, enclosed by the perianth. — Leaves alter- 

 nate."— Br. Fl. 



Urtica pilulifera, L. (Roman or Pill-bearing Nettle), grows at Gosport, some- 

 where, I understand, on the way to Gomer pond. The seed is sold in consider- 

 able quantity, under the name of Roman Nettle, by the London seedsmen, I am 

 told for some inedioal purpose, though what that is I am unable to learn, as this 

 plant does not form an officinal article in any of our London pharmacopoeias ; nor 

 is it worth cultivating for ornament. The knowledge of this fact favours a suspi- 

 cion I have always entertained, that U. pilulifera has in all its British stations 

 originated from the garden of the grower of simples. 



