636 Oedbb H5.— URTICACB^. 



Okder CXV. URTICACEJE. Nkttleworts. 



. Serbs (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 achenimn. 

 Figs. 50, 459. 



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

 nabineie, dismissing the Artocai-peae, thus constituting a group which is at least practic^ly 

 natural. 



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

 stinging hairs, whieli, had enough in our common nettle, attains a terrible virulence in certain 

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

 cure an intoxiciting liquor from the Hemp, and the more civilized a strong stimulant from ^e 

 Hop. The fibrous bark of Hemp and other species is highly valuable In the arts, 



SnUOEDEES AND GENERA. 



I. UliTICE.^. — ^Filaments crenulate, expanding elastically, Tertilo calyx S to 5-sepaIed or 



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



* Herbs ■with stinging hairs Stamens 4. Leaves opposite Urtica. 1 



— Stamens 5. Leaves alternate Laportea, 2 



* Herbs stinglcss. — Stamens S. Fertile calyx 8-sepaIed. Leaves opposite Pilka. 3 



— Stamens 4. — ^Fls. iu slender spikes. Lvs. opp. or alt Bceumeuia. 4 



—Fls. in iuvoluorate cymes. Lvs. altern. .Paeietaria. 5 



II. CANNABINEjE. — ^Fihiments straight, or not elastic Fertile calyx of 1 sepal, lateral, em- 



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



* Fruit a valveless achenium, in a strobile-like ament. Twining Humulub. 6 



* Fruit a 2-valvod caryopsis, in axillary pairs. Lvs. digitate Camnabis. 7 



1. URTICA, Tourn. Nettle. {LsX. uro, to burn; in reference to 

 the stinging species.) Flowers 5 , sometimes ^ $ ; 3 calyx 4-sepalfid, 

 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. — Herhs 

 with stinging hairs. Lvs. opposite. Fls. green, in axillary ov subter- 

 miual clusters or racemes. 



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



g Clusters simple, shorter, or not longer than the petioles Nos. 8—5 



1 U. prooera "ffilld. St. taU, simple, 4-sided, slightly hispid with few stings; ks. 

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

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

 ones sterile, upper fertile. — Borders of tields, 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. Pis. in glomerate 

 panicles on the upper part of the stem. Jl. (U. gracilis Ait.) 



2 TJ. dioica L. SiiNGiNff Nettle. Very hispid and stinging ; lvs. cordate, lance- 

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

 ioles thrice shorter ; fls. § or 4 ?, in branching, clustered, axillary, interrupted 



_ spikes longer than the petioles. — if "Waste places, common. Stem 2 — tf high, 

 branching, obtusely 4-'angled, with opposite, short-stalked leaves which are 3 — 4 

 long, and about J 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 TT. Cirens L. Dwarf Nettle. I/vs. broadly elliptic, or ovate, petiolaie, 3- 

 veinod, 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 



