Key to Urticaceae

View taxon page for Urticaceae

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Stinging hairs present; leaves 

opposite 

1. Arranged in pairs along an axis - e.g., two leaves per node. 2. Occurring in the same rank, directly above or below, as 'stamens opposite petals'. 3. Located directly across from.

2. Pistillate sepals 2–4, fused ± to tip, ± equal ..... HESPEROCNIDE

2' Pistillate sepals 4, ± free, outer 2 < inner 2 ..... URTICA

1' Stinging hairs 0; leaves 

alternate 

1. Arranged singly, often spirally, along an axis - e.g., one leaf per node. 2. Occurring in different ranks, appearing to be between, not directly above or below, as 'stamens alternate petals'.

or opposite

3. Leaves opposite (alternate), toothed; inflorescence spike-like ..... BOEHMERIA

3' Leaves alternate, 

entire 

Having margins that are continuous and smooth (i.e., without teeth, lobes, etc.).

; inflorescence 1-flowered or head-, spike-, or panicle-like

4. Stems 

decumbent 

lying mostly flat on the ground but with tips curving up.

to 

erect 

Upright; vertically oriented.

; 

leaf 

Organ arising from a stem, generally composed of a stalk (petiole) and a flat, expanded, green, photosynthetic area (blade); distinguished from a leaflet by the presence in its axil of a bud, branch, thorn, or flower; sometimes with lateral, basal appendages (stipules); either simple (toothed, lobed, or dissected but not divided into leaflets) or compound (divided into leaflets).

10–90 mm; inflorescence head-, spike-, or panicle-like, generally few-flowered ..... PARIETARIA

4' Stems 

prostrate 

Lying flat on the ground.

; leaf 3–8 mm; inflorescence 1-flowered ..... SOLEIROLIA

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