400 THE NETTLE FAMILY. : _ [Urtica. 
as such occurs occasionally in the east of England. 2. swmmer and autumn. 
U. Dodartii, Linn., is a variety with nearly entire leaves. 
3, U. dioica, Linn, (fig. 903). Common Nettle.—Rootstock perennial 
and creeping. Stems erect, 2 or 3 feet high, the whole plant of a dark 
green, and more or less downy, besides the copious stinging bristles. 
Lower leaves cordate-ovate, the upper ones more or less lanceolate, nar- 
rowed at the point, coarsely toothed. Flowers usually dicecious, both the 
males and females clustered in axillary, branched, spreading spikes, usually 
about the length of the leaves. 
Along hedges, on roadsides, and in waste places, throughout Europe and 
Russian Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic regions, and carried 
. out as a weed to other parts of the globe, Common in Britain. Fl. summer 
and autumn. 
II. PARIETARIA. PELLITORY. 
Herbs, with alternate, often entire leaves, and not stinging. Flowers 
in small axillary clusters, surrounded by a few bracts, often united intoa 
- small involucre. Male flowers like those of Urtica, but usually very few. 
Females with a tubular or campanulate, 4-lobed perianth, enclosing the ovary 
and adhering to the seed-like fruit. Stigma single, tufted, sessile or with 
a distinct style. Besides these there are a few hermaphrodite 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. 904). Wall Pellitory.—A small, branch- 
ing perennial, 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 or 2 or 3 divided bracts. 
P. diffusa, Koch. 
On old walls, and in waste, stony places, throughout Kurope and Russian 
Asia, except the extreme north. Common in Britain, but rare in the north. 
Fl. the whole summer, 
Ill. HUMULUS. HOP. 
A single species, differing from all other Urticacee 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. 905). Common 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 dic- 
cious, 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, conspicuous 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 
2 ane ee 
