URTICACEAE

'Urticaceae', or the nettle family, is a family of flowering plants. The family name comes from the genus ''Urtica'' (nettles). Urticaceae includes a number of well-known, interesting and useful plants, including genus ''Urtica'' (nettles), ''Boehmeria nivea'' (ramie), ''Pipturus albidus'' (mamaki), and ''Debregeasia saeneb'' (ajlai).
The family counts more or less 2600 species, grouped into 54 to 79 genera, according to the the database of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The largest genera are ''Pilea'' (500 to 715 species), ''Elatostema'' (300 species), ''Urtica'' (80 species), and ''Cecropia'' (75 species).
Urticaceae can be found worldwide, apart from the polar regions.

Contents

Taxonomy

Desciption

Genera

Image gallery

References

Taxonomy

APG II system puts Urticaceae in order Rosales, while older system consider it part of Urticales, along with Ulmaceae, Moraceae and Cannabaceae. APG still considers "old" Urticales a monophyletic group, but does not recognise it as an order on its own.

Desciption

Urticaceae can be shrubs (e.g. ''Pilea''), lianas, herbs (e.g. ''Urtica''. ''Parietaria''), or, rarely, trees (e.g. ''Dendrocnide'', ''Cecropia'').
'Leaves' are usually entire and bear stipules. Urticating hairs are often present.
Urticaceae have usually unisexual 'flowers' and can be both monoecious or dioecious. They are pollinated by the wind. Most disperse their pollen when the stamens are mature and their filaments straighten explosively: a peculiar and conspicuously specialised mechanism.

Genera

★ ''Aboriella'' ★ ''Achudemia'' ★ ''Archiboehmeria'' ★ ''Astrothalamus'' ★ ''Australina'' ★ ''Boehmeria'' ★ ''Cecropia'' ★ ''Chamabainia'' ★ ''Cypholophus'' ★ ''Debregeasia'' ★ ''Dendrocnide'' ★ ''Didymodoxa'' ★ ''Discocnide'' ★ ''Droguetia'' ★ ''Elatostema'' ★ ''Forsskaolea''

★ ''Gesnouinia'' ★ ''Gibbsia'' ★ ''Girardinia'' ★ ''Laportea'' ★ ''Lecanthus'' ★ ''Leucosyke'' ★ ''Maoutia'' ★ ''Meniscogyne'' ★ ''Myriocarpa'' ★ ''Nanocnide'' ★ ''Neodistemon'' ★ ''Neraudia'' ★ ''Nothocnide'' ★ ''Obetia'' ★ ''Oreocnide'' ★ ''Parietaria''

★ ''Pellionia'' ★ ''Petelotiella'' ★ ''Phenax'' ★ ''Pilea'' ★ ''Pipturus'' ★ ''Poulzolzia'' ★ ''Procris'' ★ ''Rousselia'' ★ ''Sarcochlamys'' ★ ''Sarcopilea'' ★ ''Soleirolia'' ★ ''Touchardia'' ★ ''Urera'' ★ ''Urtica'' - nettle

Image gallery

References

★ Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 7, May 2006 [and more or less continuously updated since]. [1]

★ Sandro Pignatti, Flora d'Italia, Edagricole, Bologna 1982. ISBN 8850624492