Urticaceae

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Nettle family
Urtica dioica (Stinging nettle)
Urtica dioica (Stinging nettle)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales
Family: Urticaceae
Juss., 1789
Synonyms

Cecropiaceae C. C. Berg[1]

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 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

[edit] 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.

[edit] Description

Male and female flower of Urtica
Male and female flower of Urtica

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.

[edit] Genera

[edit] Image gallery

Pilea cadierei

Pilea pumila

Dendrocnide sp.

Elatostema umbellatum

Urtica dioica

Boehmeria nivea

Parietaria judaica, flowers

Urtica dioica, stinging hairs

[edit] References

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  1. ^ Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) (2003-01-17). Family: Urticaceae Juss., nom. cons. (HTML). Taxonomy for Plants. USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program, National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
  • Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 7, May 2006 [and more or less continuously updated since]. [1]
  • (Italian) Sandro Pignatti, Flora d'Italia, Edagricole, Bologna 1982. ISBN 8850624492