Order CXXV. URTICACE.E. The Nettle Tribe. 
URTicKii:, Juss. Gen. 400. (1789) ; Guudichaud in Freyc. Voyage (1826) ; Bartl. Ord. Nat. 
105. (1830); Arnott in Edinh. Encycl. 129. (1832). — IJkticac'E.m, Endlich. Prodr. 
Norf. 37. (1833). — Artocarpe.®, R. Brown in Congo (1818); Blume Bijdr. 479. 
(1825); Ed. Prior. No. 80. (1830); Bartl. Ord. Nat. 104. (1830). — Sycoide/e, 
Link Handb. 1. 292. (1829). — Pholeosanthese and CiENOSANTHEiE, Blume Bijdr. 
(1825). — Batide^, Martins Conspect. No. 10. (1835). — Moreje, Endl. Prodr. 40. 
(1833). 
Essential Character. — monoecious or dioecious, scattered or clustered, or in 
catkins, or close heads. Calyx membranous, lobed, persistent. Stamens definite, distinct, 
inserted into the base of the calyx, and opposite its lobes ; anthers curved inwards in aesti- 
vation, turned backwards with elasticity when bursting. Ovary superior, simple ; ovule 
solitary, erect or suspended ; stigma simple. Fruit a simple indehiscent nut, surrounded 
either by the membranous or fleshy calyx ; or a fleshy receptacle, either covered by nume- 
rous nuts, lying among the persistent fleshy calyxes, or enclosing them within its cavity ; 
occasionally consisting of a single nut, covered by a succulent involucre. Embryo straight, 
curved, or spiral, -with or without albumen ; cotyledons flat ; radicle always pointing to the 
hilum. — Trees, shrubs, or herbs, sometimes lactescent. Leaves alternate, usually covered 
either with asperities or stinging hairs, with membranous stipules, which are deciduous or 
convolute in vernation. 
Affinities. I am convinced, after the most careful attention that I have 
been able to give this extensive and little studied order, that all the assem- 
blages of genera whose names are cited at the head of this article must be 
considered mere forms of one common type. Artocarpese I formerly distin- 
guished by their suspended ovules and milky properties ; but Amott states 
that he finds the former peritropal, and supposing their position to be uni- 
foimly suspended in the genus Artocarpus and its immediate allies, yet there 
is this in the character of Artocarpeae, which would, even under such circum- 
stances render it useless, that it forms an unnatural assemblage, for it would 
take from the true Urticeae Cannabis, and Humulus, on account of the posi- 
tion of their ovules, while it would exclude them along with Moms and 
some others because they do not milk. As to Batidese recently separated 
from Urticaceae by Von Martins, on account of their supposed naked flowers 
and bicarpellary fruit, it must be remarked that in the former character this 
distinguished Botanist has been misled by Roxburgh, and that in the latter he 
has been equally deceived, for Batis has a common Urticaceous fmit ; and it 
agrees with many genera of the order in its embryo having the radicle turned 
down upon the cotyledons. On account of this character and its habit, and 
notwithstanding its stamens being alternate with the segments of the calyx, 
it is better to let it remain at present in Urticaceae as one of the connecting 
links between that order and Curvembryosae. The existence of a curved 
embryo in Urticaceae shows how very nearly Chenopodiaceae and Urticaceae 
are really allied ; they, in fact, scarcely differ except in the stipulation, hispid 
surface, elastic stamens, and I may add narcotic properties of the latter. 
Polygonaceae are distinguished generally by their ochreae, and always by their 
radicle lying at the end of the seed most remote from the hilum ; Euphorbia- 
ceae by their tricoccous, or at least pluricarpellary fruit ; and Ulmaceae by their 
hermaphrodite flowers and bicarpeUary fruit. 
The only attempt that has yet been made to reduce the genera to order, is 
that by Gaudichaud, of which an account will be found in the first volume of 
Presl’s Repertorium Botanicum, as well as in the place above quoted. This 
arrangement has not been yet examined critically, but as it seems in general to 
form natural groups, I have admitted it without scruple upon the authority of 
the very excellent Botanist, with whom it has originated. It should, how- 
