URTICACE^. 



743 



often as long as the leaves ; the females 

 in globular heads, on the snmmit of a 

 peduncle from J to 1 inch long. "When 

 in fruit these heads are 4 or 5 lines in 

 diameter, and thickly beset with sting- 

 ing bristles. 



On roadsides, and in waste places, in 

 southern Europe. Further north only 

 as an introduced weed in the neighbour- 

 hood of villages and habitations, and as 

 such occurs occasionally in some parts 

 of England. Fl. summer and autumn. 



Fig. 896. 



3. Common Nettle. Urtica dioica, Linn. (Fig. 897.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1750.) 



Eootstock 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, 

 narrowed at the point, coarsely toothed. 

 Flowers usually dioecious, both the 

 males and females clustered in axil- 

 lary, branched, spreading spikes, usually 

 about the length of the leaves. 



Along hedges, on roadsides, and in 

 waste places, throughout Europe and 

 Eussian Asia, from the Mediterranean 

 to the Arctic regions, and carried out as 

 a weed to other parts of the globe. FL 

 summer and autumn. 



Fig. 897. 



II. PELLITORY. PARIETARIA. 

 Herbs, with alternate, often entire leaves, and not stinging. Flowers 



