Urticaceae

Nettle faimily
Urtica dioica (Stingin nettle)
Scientific classification
Kinrick:	Plantae
Diveesion:	Magnoliophyta
Cless:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Rosales
Faimily:	Urticaceae Juss., 1789
Synonyms
Cecropiaceae C. C. Berg

Urticaceae, or the nettle faimily, is a faimily o flouerin plants. The faimily name comes frae the genus Urtica (nettles). Urticaceae include a nummer o well-kent an uiseful plants, includin the aforementioned nettles, ramie (Boehmeria nivea), māmaki (Pipturus albidus), an ajlai (Debregeasia saeneb).

The faimily includes approximately 2600 species, grouped intae 54 tae 79 genera accordin tae the database o the Ryal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The lairgest genera are Pilea (500 tae 715 species), Elatostema (300 species), Urtica (80 species), an Cecropia (75 species).

Urticaceae can be foond warldwide, apart frae the polar regions.

Taxonomy

Male an female flouer o Urtica

APG II system puts Urticaceae in order Rosales, while aulder seestems consider it pairt of Urticales, along wi Ulmaceae, Moraceae an Cannabaceae. APG still considers "auld" Urticales a monophyletic group, but daes nae recognise it as an order on its awn.

Description

Urticaceae can be shrubs (e.g. Pilea), lianas, yerbs (e.g. Urtica, Parietaria), or, rarely, trees (Dendrocnide, Cecropia).

Leafs are uisually enteer an beir stipules. Urticatin (stingin) hairs are eften present.

Urticaceae hae usually unisexual flouers an can be baith monoecious or dioecious. Thay are pollinatit bi the wind. Maist disperse their pollen whan the stamens are matur an their filaments straichten explosively, a peculiar an conspicuously specialised mechanism.

Genera (Partial leet)

Aboriella Achudemia Archiboehmeria Astrothalamus Australina Boehmeria Cecropia Chamabainia Coussapoa Cypholophus Debregeasia Dendrocnide Didymodoxa Discocnide Droguetia Elatostema

Forsskaolea Gesnouinia Gibbsia Girardinia Laportea Lecanthus Leucosyke Maoutia Meniscogyne Metatrophis Myriocarpa Nanocnide Neodistemon Neraudia Nothocnide Obetia Oreocnide

Parietaria Pellionia Petelotiella Phenax Pilea Pipturus Poikilospermum Pouzolzia Procris Rousselia Sarcochlamys Sarcopilea Soleirolia Touchardia Urera Urtica - nettle

Image gallery

• 
  Pilea cadierei
• 
  Pilea pumila
• 
  Dendrocnide sp.
• 
  Elatostema umbellatum
• 
  Urtica dioica
• 
  Boehmeria nivea
• 
  Parietaria judaica, flouers
• 
  Urtica dioica, stingin hairs

See also

• Leet o foliage plant diseases (Urticaceae)

References

• Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 7, May 2006 [and more or less continuously updated since]. [1]
• (in Italian) Sandro Pignatti, Flora d'Italia, Edagricole, Bologna 1982. ISBN 88-506-2449-2