LAPORTEA CRENULATA. (Nut. order Urticese.) 



L.-VPORTEA, Gaudich — GlilN. CHAR. Flowers nionsocious or diajciom. M,i.k, perianth. 4 5 parted, stamens as many opposite the periantli 

 segment*, filameuts incurved in tlie bud, rudimeuts of ovary subglobose. Fem-de, perianth t parted, segments equal or unequal, stigma long subulate taper- 

 ing villous ; ovary free 1-celled, ovule solitary erect, aeheuiuni obliquely ovate or subglobose, seed erect, albumen fleshy, cotyledons ovate, radicle cylin- 

 dric superior. Trees, shrubs or herbs, leaves alternate, flowers in axillary panicles, 



JjAPORTEA CRENULATA. (Roxb.) A small tree or large shrub, diaecious unarmed, leaves ovate-elliptic to oblongo- 

 elliptic witli a longish acumination, crenulate or serrate towards the apex or quite entire, 5-12 inches long by 2-4 broad, penniveined, 

 perfectly glabrous on both sides or with a very few long white stinging hairs on the costa beneath and sometimes above, petioles 2-4 

 inches long more or less furnished with long stinging white hairs, panicles cymose lax shorter than the leaves copiously furnished -with 

 the same hairs, flowers small greenish, perianth lobes equal or subequal. — -Urtica crenulata, Roxb. Fl. IncL iii. 591. Laportea 

 crenulata et gigautea, Gaudich. Urera Javanensis, Gaudich. Voy. Freyc. p. 496. Dendrocnide crenulata, M iq. Pl.Jungh. 1 p. 31. 



This dreadfulh/ slinging tree or large shrub is only too common in most of our western coast moist forests up to 5000 feet, and it also 

 inhabits Ceylon, Bengal and Java ; it is introduced here chiefly to caution Forest Officers against it with reference to its stinging properties. 1 quote 

 the following from Lindley's Vegetable Kingdom. " Leschenault de la Tour thus describes the effect of gathering Uriica crenulata in the Botanic 

 Garden at Calcutta ;" — 



" One of the leaves slightly touched the first three fingers of my left hand ; at the time I only pirceived a slight pricking, to which I paid 

 no attention. This was at seven in the morning. The pain continued to increase ; in an hour it had become intolerable ; it seemed as if somt 

 one vms rubbing my fingers with a hot iron. Nevertheless, there was no remarkable appeirance ; neither swelling, nor pustule, nor inflammation. 

 The pain rapidly spread along the arm, as far as the armpit. I was then seized with frequent sneezing, and with a copious running at the nose, 

 as if I had caught a violent cold in the head. About noon I experienced a painful contraction of the back of the jauis, which made me fear an 

 attack of tetanus. I then went to bed, hoping that repose would alleviate my suffering, but it did not abate ; on the contrary, it continued 

 nearly the whole of the following night, but I lost the contraction of the jaws about seven in the evening. The next morning the pain began to 

 leave me and I fell asleep. I continued to suffer for two days ; and the pain returned in full force when I put my hand into water. I did not 

 fin-illy lose it for nine days." " A similar circumstance occurred, with precisely the same symptoms, to a workman in the Calcutta Garden. 

 This man described the sensation, when water ivas applied to the slung part, to be as if boiling oil was pourei over him." In cutting boundary 

 lines exploring forests, botanizing, So., I have been very often stung by this plant both on the hands and face, but never found the effects so violent 

 as described by Leschenault ; they arehowever bad enough, the pain being felt more or less for several days and always being intensified by the 

 application of water. With natives the sting often brings on fever, and the plant is known to Coffee planters as the Fever Nettle and the Devil 

 Nettle. In Ceylon it is called Maoosjx. 



Analysis. 

 The figure represents a branch of the male tree in flower, 



1 . A male flower bud. 



2 cfc 3. Views of the male flower. 



4. A male flower opened to shew iusertion of the stamsus and the abortiva ovary. 



5. Anther, front view. 



6. Anther, back view. 



7. Female inflorescence. 



8. Portion of the same highly rnaguified. 



9. A female flower. 



10. Calyx and ovary. 



11. Ovary cut vertically, shewing the solitary erect ovule. 



12. Ovary cut transversely. 



13 Branch in fruit. (All drawn from living specimens). 



S06 



