CANNABIS HEMP. 245 



Urtica dioica Linne. — Common Nettle. 



Stem erect, 2 to 4 feet high, very bristly. Leaves ovate, cordate, 

 pointed, strongly serrate, mostly smooth above, downy underneath. 

 Flower spikes much branched. 



Habitat. — In waste places, especially about dwellings ; introduced from 

 Europe. 



U rt i c a u r e n s Linnt'. — Dwarf Nettle. 



Stem erect, 8 to 12 inches high, less bristly than the preceding. 

 Leaves elliptical or ovate, coarsely and deeply serrate. Flower clusters 2 

 in each axil, the staminate and pistillate flowers intermingled. 



Habitat. — In waste places ; introduced from Europe. Less common 

 than the preceding. 



Wood Nettle (Laportea Canadensis Gaudichaud), an indigenous plant, 

 closely related to the genus urtica, also possesses stinging properties, and 

 is probably hardly less efficient. 



Parts Used. — The seed, leaves, and tops — not official. 



Constituents. — The stingiDg hairs of nettles contain free formic acid, 

 but as their effect upon the skin differs sensibly from that of pure formic 

 acid, it is inferred that there is present also some other irritating substance. 



Preparations. — The expressed juice, decoction, and the bruised leaves. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — Flagellation of the skin with fresh net- 

 tles was formerly employed for counter-irritant effect in paralysis, and 

 in coma whether produced by disease or by alcohol or opium. Internally 

 the drug has been used with asserted benefit in hemorrhages from the 

 nose, lungs, uterus, etc., and in catarrhal affections. 



CANNABIS.— Hemp. 



Cannabis sativa Linne. — Hemp, American Hemp. 



Description. — Flowers dioecious. Staminate flowers with 5 sepals, and 

 5 drooping stamens. Pistillate flowers with a calyx of one sepal which 

 is folded around the ovary ; ovary roundish, 1-ovuled ; stigmas 2, filiform, 

 glandular. Achenium ovate, 1-seeded. 



A coarse, pubescent, somewhat viscid annual. Stem erect, 3 to 6 feet 

 high, angular, branching. Leaves alternate or opposite, on long weak 

 petioles, digitate, with 5 to 7 linear-lanceolate, sharply serrate segments. 

 Flowers in axillary clusters ; staminate clusters lax, drooping, leafless at 

 the base ; pistillate, erect, leafy at the base. 



Habitat. — In waste places. Largely cultivated in some of the Western 

 and Southern States. Introduced from Europe. 



Parts Used. — The flowering tops. Official name, Cannabis Americana — 

 American Cannabis — United States Pharmacopoeia. 



Tins plant is specifically identical with that affording the Cannabis 

 Indica (Indian Hemp, Hashish)- of commerce, and has received the above 

 pharmacopoeia! name simply for identification. 



