i 4 6 WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
Common Hop. (Humulus Lupulus. Linn.)— As just described. A very well known 
plant climbing over hedges. The staminate (male) flowers are green with bright yellow erect 
stamens, and though common in hedges are not grown in the hop-fields ; the pistilate (female) 
flowers are in roundish heads in the axils of the leaves and terminating the branches, the flowers 
being hidden behind the overlapping large green bracts, and the fruit being hidden behind the 
scale-like perianth which by the time the fruit has matured is enlarged considerably. The stems 
are tough, twisted, angular, and with anvil-shaped climbing hooks which enable them to climb to 
a considerable length over hedges and bushes ; the leaves are broadly heart-shaped (cordate), with 
3-5 lobes, sharply toothed, and very rough with small warts which sometimes terminate in bristles. 
The scale-like perianths of the female flowers are sprinkled with protective resinous glands, as is the 
underside of the leaves, the whole plant being dark green and rough with bristles and glands. 
[Plate 47. 
Common. In hedges ; throughout England, especially in the south, and introduced into Scotland 
and Ireland. July — August. Perennial. 
II. NETTLE. (UR'TICA. Linn.) — Flowers stalkless (sessile) in clusters in the axils of the leaves or 
in spikes, with pistilless (male) flowers on one plant and stamenless (female) on another (dioecious), 
or with both on the same plant (monoecious). The male flowers have a perianth of usually 4, 
more rarely 5, lobes, with the same number of stamens, and are arranged in loose clusters (racemes). 
While the female flowers have a perianth of 4 lobes, the 2 outer ones very small, a seedcase 
crowned with a brush-like tufted stigma, and eventually a small flattened seed-like fruit enclosed 
in the perianth ; they are arranged in tighter clusters. Herbs with opposite leaves, and small 
stipules, both stem and leaves usually covered with stinging hairs. 
(1) Great Nettle. (Ur'tica dioica.) — Flowers in branched spikes; male on one and female 
on another plant. 
(2) *Roman Nettle. (Ur'tica pilulifera.) — Flowers in round clusters, female in a roundhead; 
male on one and female on another plant. 
(3) Small Nettle. (Ur'tica urens.) — Flowers in unbranched spikes, in pairs; male and female 
intermixed. 
1. Great Nettle. (Ur'tica dioica. Linn.) — As just described. A very well known 
species with small green flowers, with a very unpleasant scent, the male on one plant in small 
clusters forming slender branched spreading spikes (panicles) 1-3 inches long, and the female 
on another in denser, somewhat drooping branched spikes (panicles) ; in the male flowers the 
stamens are a very interesting feature, as they are coiled in bud and open with a jerk sending up 
a cloud of pollen dust. The stem is erect, 2-3 feet high, and usually unbranched (simple) ; and 
the leaves are opposite, egg- or lance-shaped, pointed, heart-shaped (cordate) at the base, and 
coarsely toothed. The whole plant is of a dull green and is more or less downy and covered with 
stinging hairs. [Plate 47, 
Very common. By waysides, under hedges, everywhere ; throughout England, Scotland, and 
Ireland. June — September. Perennial. 
2. * Roman Nettle. (Ur'tica pilulifera. Linn.) — A species differing from the last 
in the flower-clusters being round (globose), the male in distinct little round clusters up the flower- 
stem, and the female in a distinct round head terminating a flower-stem of about an inch long ; 
in the leaves being sometimes entire instead of toothed, when it is called variety Dodartii, and 
having longer stalks; and in there being no downy hairs, only the stinging ones which are 
particularly virulent. 
