400 THE NETTLE FAMILY. 
II. PARIETARIA. PELLITORY. : gph 
Herbs, with alternate, often entire leaves, and not stinging. Flowers 
in small axillary clusters, surrounded by a few bracts, often united into 
a small involucre. Male flowers like those of Urtica, but usually very 
few. Females with a tubular or campanulate, 4-lobed perianth, enclos- 
ing the ovary and adhering to the seed-like fruit. Stigma single, tufted, 
sessile or with a distinct style. Besides these there are a few herma- 
phrodite flowers, which become enlarged after flowering, but seldom | 
ripen their seed. 
A genus of several species, chiefly from the Mediterranean region and 
central Asia, with one American one, widely spread over a great part of 
the world. 
1. P. officinalis, Linn. (fig. 906). Wall P.—A small, branching per- 
ennial, erect the first year, afterwards usually diffuse or procumbent, 6 
inches or rarely a foot long, more or less downy with short soft hairs. 
Leaves stalked, varying from ovate to oblong, quite entire. Flowers in 
sessile clusters, the involucre very small, consisting of 2 or 3 divided 
bracts. P. diffusa, Koch. 
On old walls, and in waste, stony places, throughout Europe and 
Russian Asia, except the extreme north, Common i in Britain, but rare 
in the north. Fl. the whole summer. 
‘TI. HUMULUS. HOP. 
A single species, differing from all other Urticacew by its twining 
habit, by the inflorescence, and by the seed, which contains a flat, 
spirally coiled embryo, without albumen. 
1. H. Lupulus, Linn. (fig. 907). “Hop.—Rootstock perennial, the 
stems annual, but twining to a considerable height over bushes and 
small trees. Leaves opposite, stalked, broadly heart-shaped, deeply 3- 
or 5-lobed, and sharply toothed, very rough but not stinging. Flowers 
dicecious, the males in loose panicles in the upper axils, small, and of a 
yellowish green. Perianth of 5 segments. Stamens 5. Female flowers 
in shortly stalked, axillary, ovoid or globular spikes or heads, con- 
spicuous for their broad, closely-packed bracts, each with 2 sessile 
flowers in its axil. Perianth a concave scale enclosing the ovary. 
Stigmas 2, long and linear. After flowering, the scales of the spike 
(often called a cone) become much enlarged, quite concealing the seed- 
like fruits. 
In hedges, thickets, and open woods, all over Europe and centraland — 
Russian Asia, except the extreme north. Extends over most of England, 
and is naturalised in Ireland and Scotland, having long been in general 
cultivation. Fl. summer. 
Se aeenemmmmiemenanmeeneed 
LXXII. ULMACEA. THE ELM FAMILY. 
Trees or shrubs, differing from Urticaceew in their flowers 
mostly hermaphrodite, and the ovary generally 2-celled, al-nonge q 
the fruif has but 1 seed. a 
