4^4- 
The BRITISH HERBAL, 
GENUS X. 
NETTLE; 
U R t I C J. 
TME flowers are male and female on the fame plant. The male fiower confills of a four-leaved 
cup, and four fiUments ; with an oval, fmall neftarium. In the female there is only a rudi- 
ment of the fted, with a rough top, in a cup^ fplit into two parts. 
Linn^tus places this among the mc7ixcia ietnamiria. 
I. Common Nettle. 
Urticn 'vulgaris. 
The root is creeping. 
■ The ftaik is ridged, a yard high, branched, and 
befet with little prickles, at whofc bafe are blad- 
ders of a rtiarp, watery juice, wiiich inflames the 
fkin, when let in by the puntSture of the prickles. 
The leaves are large, broad, oblong, ihiarp- 
pointed, ferrated, and covered with the fame 
prickles. 
The flowers are greenidi, and inconfiderable. 
Ic is common by way-fides, and flowers m 
July. 
The male and female Rowers in this genus, I 
have obferved, are fometimes on the fame^ and 
fometinies on diftindt plants, 
2. The L.efTcr Nettle. 
Urtica viinor. 
The root is fibrous. 
Tlie ftalk is a foot high, not often branched, 
fif a.duflsy green, and full of fpines. - 
The leaves are broad, fliort, and ferrated. 
The flowers are greenini. 
It is common about gardens, and flowers ia 
June. 
C. Bauhine calls this Urtica urens minor ; the 
former, Urtica urens maxima. 
3- Roman Nettle. 
Urtica pHuHfera. 
The root is fibrous, and creeps. 
The ftalk is ridged, two feet high, and 
branched. 
The leaves are large, oblong, ferrated, co- 
vered with poifoned fpines, and of a deep green. 
The male flowers are greenidi, and inconfider- 
able : the female are fucceeded by round, larg^ 
balls, covered with fpines, and containing the 
feeds. 
It is wild in our northern counties, flowering 
in July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Urtica urens pHas ferens. 
The tops of the common nettle^ eaten in fpring, 
are deobftruent. The roots are a powerful and 
excellent diuretick. f 
GENUS XI, 
X A N T II I U M. 
^HE flowers are msle and female on the fame plant. The male flowers are cluftered togetJier, 
many in one cover, and conflfl each of five filaments, placed in a tubular cup, divided at the 
edge into five fegments. The female flowers are contained two only in one cup, which is formed of 
two leaves, each divided into three lobes ; the middle one largefl:, and covered with hooked fpines. 
The fruit fucceeding thefe is alfo oblong, and covered with hooked thorns; 
Linnreus places this among the moncccia pentandria. 
Xanthium, called Small Burdock. 
Xanthium %-i'Jgare, 
The root confifts of an oblong head, and many 
fibres. 
The ftalk is ftriated, purpUfh, branched, and 
tough. 
The leaves arc large, and of a pale green, of 
an oval and fomewhat cordatcd form, and fer- 
rated. 
The flowers are fmall and whitifli ; the fruit is 
hard, echinated, and of a purplifh brown. 
It grows on the edges of our fen-counties, and 
flowers in April. 
C. Bauhine calls it Lappa nmor Xanthium Dis- 
fccridis. 
GENUS XII. 
DOCK. r 
L J P A T H U M. 
TpHE Hower confift! oF fix very fmall filaments, with three ftyles, placed in a cup compofed of 
A fix leaves, three outward, and three inward, all remaining with the feed; which is finglc, 
and three-cornered. 
Linna:us places this among the hcxmdria triQ/ma, and fuppofes the three inner fegments of the 
•'cup, petals. 
3 D I V I. 
