/ A c >48 ]
U R T I C A pilulifera*
Roman Nettle.
^ O N O E C I A Tetrandria,
Gen. Char. Male. Cal. 4-leaved. Cor. none. NeSlary
in the centre, cup-fhaped. Female. Cal. 2 -leaved.
Cor. none. Seed one, polilhed.
Spec. Char. Leaves oppofite, ovate, ferrated. Catkins
o f fruit globofe.
Syn. U rtic a pilulifera. Linn. Sp. PL 1395. Hudf. FI.
An. 4 1 7 . W ith . Bot. A rr. 1070.
U . pilulifera, folio profundius Urticte majons in
modum ferrato, femine magno lini. R ail Syn.
140.
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OENT by Dawfon Turner Efq. in July laft from Yarmouth,
where, as in various parts of the Norfolk and Suffolk coaft,
this kind of nettle is found growing abundantly among rubbifh
and Hones. Its fling is more painful than either of our common
fpecies whofe ftrufture is fo well illuft rated by Mr. Curtis
in his Flora Londinenfis.
This is an annual of very luxuriant growth, about 2 feet
high, Item obtufely angular, often purple. Leaves on longifh
foot-ftalks, ovate, fometimes heart-fhaped, pointed, very
ftrongly ferrated, paler beneath. Flower-flalks axillary, in
pairs, thofe of the male flowers particled. Their calyx is of
four equal leaves. Stamina fpreading. Suppofed ne&ary an
obfolete concave tubercle in the centre. Female flowers in a
round head. Calyx of two hemifpherical valves clofely embracing
the germen, and holding the feed till quite ripe. Seed
oval, dark brown, highly polilhed.
Our fpecimens feem intermediate between thofe of U. pilulifera
and U. balearica in the Linnean herbarium, and not-
withftanding the opinion of Profeflor Murray (fee Withering)
we believe thefe fpecies not to be diftina. U. Dodartii appears
different enough from both.