NETTLE FAMILY. 121 
The Showy Lady-slipper, Cypripedium hirsutum Mill., 
stem one to two feet high, hirsute, usually in clumps; 
flowers pink; sepals rounded; lip oblong, much inflated, 
white marked with crimson; moist woods, Newfoundland 
to Manitoba and southward. 
NETTLE FAMILY—U’rticaceae. 
THE STINGING NETTLE, Urtica dioica L., is one of a 
well known group whose stinging hairs secrete a poison 
that causes burning and itching inflammation of the 
skin. It is found from the Atlantic to the prairies. It is 
an erect plant with thin, ovate, toothed, sharp-pointed 
leaves, cordate at the base, and with long petioles. The 
flowers, in large clusters, are either staminate or pistil- 
late. The stem and leaves are provided with stinging 
hairs. 
THE SLENDER NETTLE, Urtica gracilis Ait., produces 
the same effect. It is from two to seven feet high and 
rarely branched. The leaves are more slender than in 
Urtica dioica and are not cordate at the base. THE WEST- 
ERN NETTLE, Urtica Lyallii Wats., THE SMALLEST STING- 
ING NETTLE, Urtica wrens L., and THE Woop NETTLE, 
Laportea canadensis (L.) Gaud., produce similar results. 
The juice of the Jewel Weed, Impatiens biflora Walt, 
gives relief from the inflammation caused by Nettles. The 
plant is three feet or more tall, grows plentifully in moist 
places, and is easily recognized by its translucently yel- 
lowish-green stem and sac-like, pendent, orange flowers 
spotted with brown. Relief is obtained by rubbing the 
crushed stem on the inflamed area, sometimes an enor- 
mous reduction of swelling following its application. 
