URTICACEAE. 343 



branous. Endosperm scanty or wanting. [Latin, star nettle.] About 25 species, 

 mostly of tropical distribution, only the following North-American. 



1. Urticastrum divaricatum (L.) Kuntze. "Wood Nettle. (I. F. f. 1267.) 

 Stem 3-12 dm. tall. Leaves thin, ovate, long-petioled, acuminate or acute at the 

 apex, sharply serrate, 3-nerved and pinnately veined, glabrous or with some 

 stinging hairs, 5-13 cm. wide; petioles 3-13 cm. long ; stipule solitary, small, lan- 

 ceolate, 2-cleft, commonly deciduous; flower-clusters often longer than the petioles, 

 the lower staminate, the upper pistillate, divergent, 5-15 cm. broad in fruit ; ulti- 

 mate branches of the fruiting clusters flat, cuneate, emarginate ; achene twice as 

 long as the calyx, glabrous. In rich woods, N. S. to Ont., Minn., Fla. and Kans. 

 July-Aug. 



% AD1CEA Raf. [PILEA Lindl.] 



Herbs, with opposite petioled mostly 3-nerved leaves, connate stipules, and 

 small monoecious or dioecious flowers in axillary clusters. Staminate flowers 

 mostly 4-parted (sometimes 2- or 3-parted) and with a rudimentary ovary. Pistil- 

 late flowers 3-parted, the segments in most species unequal, each subtending a 

 staminodium in the form of a concave scale; ovary straight; stigma sessile, penicil- 

 late. Achene compressed. Seed-coat thin. Endosperm scanty or none. [Name 

 unexplained.] About 150 species, chiefly in the tropics, most abundant in tropical 

 America. Besides the following, another occurs in the southern U. S. 



1. Adicea pumila (L. ) Raf. Clearweed. Richweed. (I. F. f. 1268.) 

 Annual, stems pellucid, usually branched, glabrous, succulent, 1.5-6 dm. high. 

 Leaves membranous, ovate, slender-petioled, acuminate or acute, 3-nerved, coarsely 

 dentate, 2-13 cm. long, sparingly pubescent with scattered hairs; petioles much longer 

 than the pistillate flower-clusters ; sepals of the pistillate flowers lanceolate, nearly 

 equal; achene ovate, acute, 1 mm. long. In swampy, shaded situations, often on 

 old logs, N. B. to Ont., Minn., Fla., La. and Kans. Also in Japan. July-Sept. 



4. BOEHMERIA Jacq. 



Perennial stingless herbs (some tropical species shrubs or even trees), with 

 petioled 3-nerved leaves, distinct or connate stipules, and small monoecious or dioe- 

 cious flowers, glomerate in axillary spikes or heads. Staminate flowers mostly 

 4-parted, or the calyx of 4 distinct sepals, usually with a rudimentary ovary. 

 Pistillate calyx tubular or urn-shaped, enclosing the ovary ; stigma subulate. 

 Achene enclosed by the pistillate calyx. [In honor of Georg Rudolph Boehmer, 

 1723-1803, Professor in Wittenberg.] About 50 species, mostly natives of tropical 

 regions, the following of eastern N. A. 



1. Boehmeria cylindrica (L.) Willd. False Nettle. (I. F. f. 1269.) A 

 perennial rough erect branching herb, 3-10 dm. tall. Stem stiff; leaves ova*e, 

 ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate, thin, slender petio'ed, opposite, or some alter- 

 nate, coarsely dentate, 1-3 cm. wide; petioles shorter than the blades; stipules 

 distinct; flowers dioecious or androgynous; staminate spikes usually interrupted, 

 the pistillate mostly continuous, 0.6-3 cm - l° n g: achene ovate-oval, acute, rather 

 less than 2 mm. long. In moist soil, Quebec and Ont. to Minn., Fla., Neb. and 

 Kans. July-Sept. 



Boehmeria cylindrica scabra Porter. Leaves firm, rough above, tomentose be- 

 neath, short-petioled or nearly sessile, usually reflexed ; fruiting spikes much longer 

 than the petioles. Penn., N.J. and S. N. Y. to Fla., Kans. and Tex. 



5. PARIETARIA L. 



Herbs, with alternate entire 3-nerved petioled leaves, no stipules, and axillary 

 glomerate polygamous flowers, involucrate by leafy bracts. Calyx of the stami- 

 nate flowers 4-parted or of 4 (rarely 3) distinct sepals. Fertile flowers with a 

 4-lobed calyx investing the ovary, a short or slender style, and a penicillate 

 stigma. Achene enclosed by the pistillate calyx. [Ancient Latin, referring to 

 the growth of some species on walls.] About 7 species, widely distributed; be- 

 sides the following, another occurs in the southern U. S. 



1. Parietaria Pennsylvania Muhl. Pennsylvania Pellttory. (I. F. f. 

 1270.) Annual, pubescent; stem weak, ascending or reclining, slender. 1-4 dm. 

 long. Leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, membranous, dotted, acuminate at 



