Laiwtea.] CXIX. URTICACEiE. 1483 



■of 4 lobes or segments, the 2 inner ones usually larger than the other and 

 •dissimilar from each other. Stigma simple, elongated, incurved. Nut more or 

 less compressed and oblique, enclosed in or surrounded by the persistent perianth. 

 — Trees or shrubs, sprinkled or covered with rigid stinging hairs. Leaves 

 alternate. Stipules entire or bifid, deciduous. Flower clusters in axillary 

 panicles, usually shorter than the leaves. 



riie species are distributed over the warmer regions of the New and the Old World, but 

 •chiefly in the Indian Archipelago and Paeifio Islands, one exceptionally herbaceous epecics 

 is, however. North American and extratropioal. The Australian species all appear to be 

 -endemic. They all belong to the -section of Sarcopus, Wedd., comprising trees or shrubs 

 with the majority of the fruiting pedicels thickened, fleshy and incurved, assuming 

 frequently in the specimens the appearance of little grubs, and the lobes of the female 

 perianths very unequal. — Benth. 



Leaves broadly ovate, cordate at the base, gUbrous above, pubescent 



underneath 1. L. gigas. 



Xieaves ovate, not cordate, nearly glabrous 2. L. photiniphylla. 



Leaves broad, more or less peltate at the base, pubescent or villous on 



both sides 3. L. moroides. 



1. !■. gigas (large), Wedd. Monorji: Urt. 129, t. 3 and 4, and in DC. Prod. 

 :xvi. i. 82 ; Benth. FL Austr. v|. 191. Large Stinging Tree. " Burrie," 

 Taromeo, Sldrley. A large tree, exceeding 80ft., the trunk erect, several feet in 

 diameter, with a soft juicy fibrous wood and smooth ash-coloured bark, supported 

 at the base by prominent angles or buttresses. Leaves broadly cordate-ovate, 

 obtuse or shortly acuminate, entirely or obscurely or more distinctly sinuate- 

 toothed, often above 1ft. long and nearly as broad, glabrous above or nearly so, 

 and sprinkled with a few stinging hairs, more or less pubescent or villous under- 

 neath. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, very deciduous. Flowers dioecious, clustered 

 along the branches of rather loose axillary panicles rarely exceeding the petioles. 

 Male perianth scarcely \ line diameter. Female perianth-lobes acute and hirsute, 

 the 2 outer ones larger than the 2 inner. Nuts much flattened, very oblique, the 

 pedicel and perianth much thickened into a curved fleshy mass. — Uriica f/ir/as, A. 

 Cunn. Herb. ; Urei-a rotundifoUa, Wedd. in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 4, i. ill, and 

 V. excelsa, Wedd. I.e. 178. 



Southern scrubs. 



2. Ii. photiniphylla (shining-leaved), Wedd. Monogr. Urt. 138, and in DC. 

 Prod. xvi. i. 83 ; Bejith. FL Austr. vi. 192. Shining-leaved Stinging Tree. A 

 line tree of 60ft. with a straight soft- wooded stem of 80 to 40ft. Leaves ovate or 

 almost elliptical, obtuse or more frequently acuminate, entire or sinuate-toothed, 

 not cordate, 3-nerved, nearly glabrous but sometimes sprinkled with a few 

 stinging hairs. Panicles axillary, often exceeding the petioles. Flowers of L. gigas, 

 but more glabrous. Nuts rather larger, the pedicels usually enlarged into an 

 incurved fleshy mass of a whitish colour. — Vrtica photiniphylla, A. Cunn. Herb. ; 

 Pleurya photiniphylla, Kunth. Ind. Sem. Hort. Berol. 1816, 11 {Wed-lell). 



Hab.: Brisbane Eiver, Moreton Bay, A. Ctmning ham, F. v. Mueller ; Roekhampton, Thozet, 

 OShanesy, Dallachy ; Nurrum-nurrum, Leichhardt. 



8. Im. moroides (Mulberry-like), Wedd. Monogr. Urt. 142, and in DC. Prod. 

 ■vii. i. 88 ; Benth Fl. Austr. vi. 192. A tall shrub or small tree, with most 

 virulent stinging hairs. Leaves broadly ovate, peltate at the base, shortly 

 acuminate, rliore prominently toothed than the other species and more pubescent 

 or villous on both sides, 6 to 8in. long and almost as broad. In some of the 

 tropical scrubs the leaves have been seen 19in. long and nearly as broad, on 

 petioles 15in. long. Panicles axillary, rarely exceeding the petioles. Female 



