Paratrophis. | | MORACEAE. 379 
3. P. Smithii Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx (1888) 148.—A perfectly 
glabrous shrub or small tree 6-15{t. high, with copious milky juice ; 
branches long, slender, straggling, often flexuous and interlaced ; bark 
dark-brown, rough with raised lenticels. Leaves 4-8 in. long, ovate-oblong 
or elliptic-oblong, obtuse or obtusely acuminate, rounded or obliquely 
cordate at the base, quite entire, dark-green, coriaceous ; velns conspicuous, 
reticulated ; stipules lanceolate, caducous. Spikes solitary or geminate, 
axillary or from the branches below the leaves, 2-in. long. Males 
cylindric, densely many-flowered ; flowers intermixed with peltate scales. 
Perianth din. diam. ; segments rounded, spreading, pubescent externally. 
Females many-flowered, the flowers minute, densely packed in 2 irregular 
rows on each side of the flattened rhachis, intermixed with peltate scales. 
Perianth-segments rounded, obtuse, closely appressed to the ovary, the 
9 outer rather smaller than the others. Ovary conic, exserted. Style deeply 
2-partite. Drupe globose, bright-red, tin. diam—Man. N.Z. Fi. (1906) 
633. 
Nortu Isutanp: Three Kings Islands, abundant, 7. F. C. 
Easily recognized by the large entire leaves and long many-flowered female spikes, 
with the flowers distichously arranged in 2 rows on each side of the rhachis. 
Family XXVIII. URTICACEAE. 
Herbs, shrubs, or trees. of very diversified habit and foliage ; sap watery, 
very rarely milky. Leaves alternate or opposite, entire or toothed or 
more rarely divided ; stipules present. Flowers unisexual, small and in- 
conspicuous, cymose or fascicled or capitate, sometimes crowded on a 
variously shaped receptacle with or without an involucre. Perianth simple, 
herbaceous, of 4-5 equal or unequal lobes or segments, imbricate or valvate 
in bud, in the female flowers often smaller and with fewer segments, rarely 
absent. Stamens equal and opposite to the segments; filaments often 
inflexed in bud, uncoiling elastically when the flower opens; anthers 2- 
celled, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary superior or rarely inferior, 1-celled ; 
style terminal or lateral; ovule solitary. Fruit dry or fleshy, naked or 
enclosed in or adnate to the somewhat accrescent perianth. Seed erect ; 
albumen present or very rarely wanting. Embryo straight, axile ; radicle 
superior. 
A family of about 45 genera and 500 species, the great majority of which are 
purely tropical. With the exception of a few fibre-plants like the Rhea (Boehmeria 
nivea) the family contains few spezies of economic value. Of the 5 indigenous genera, 
Urtica and Parietaria are widely spread in most temperate and tropical countries ; 
Elatostema and Boehmeria are mainly tropical; while Australina is found in Australia 
and South Africa. 
Herbs with stinging hairs. Leaves opposite. Female perianth 
4-partite 4 i “+ a iy : 
Herbs. Leaves alternate. Flowers crowded on a fleshy discoid 
receptacle .. a sy Ry pr Zh ves 
Trees. Leaves 3-nerved. Female perianth tubular, enclosing the 
fruit _ rs os N: er ay 
Herbs, without stinging hairs. Leaves alternate. Flowers in 
involucrate clusters. Female perianth tubular. Stigma tufted .. 4. PARIETARIA. 
Herbs, without stinging hairs. Leaves alternate. Flowers not 
1. URTICA. 
2. ELATOSTEMA. 
3. BOERHMERIA. 
7 
involucrate. Female perianth tubular. Stigma linear .. .. 5, AUSTRALINA. y 
