U. ferox, Forst. Prodr. n. 346.—A slender much-branched shrub, sometimes 6–10 ft. high with a woody trunk 3–4 in. diam. at the base, but usually from 2 to 5 ft.; stinging hairs copious, long, rigid, ⅙–¼ in. long; branchlets, petioles, and under-surface of leaves more or less finely pubescent. Leaves on long slender petioles; blade 2–5 in. long, narrow ovate-triangular to lanceolate-triangular, acuminate, broadest at the base which is truncate or rounded or cordate and often lobed or hastate, thin and membranous; margins deeply and coarsely toothed, the teeth ending in a long rigid bristle; stipules interpetiolar, entire. Flowers diœcious, in axillary racemiform panicles 1–2 in. long. Perianth densely pubescent, females smaller than the males. Nut ovoid, compressed, about 1/20 in. long.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 354; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 333; Raoul, Choix, 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 225; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 251.

North and South Islands: Lowland districts from the East Cape and Kawhia southwards to eastern Otago, not common. Sea-level to 1000 ft. Tree-nettle; Ongaonga. August–December.

A very distinct species, easily recognised by the large size, woody stems, and copious stipitate stinging hairs.

U. australis, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 68.—Stems 1–3 ft. high, erect or decumbent at the base, stout, succulent, glabrous or sparingly clothed with short white hairs; stinging hairs few, weak, chiefly clustered at the nodes. Leaves opposite, the upper sometimes ternate; blade 3–6 in. long or even more, broadly ovate-or orbicular-cordate, acute, coarsely toothed or crenate, rather fleshy, 5–7-nerved, glabrous or sparsely pubescent or setose; petiole stout, 1–4 in. long; stipules interpetiolar, large, bifid. Racemes or panicles simple or branched, axillary, longer or shorter than the petioles, the lower male and the upper female, but both sexes occasionally mixed in the same panicle. Male perianth about 1/12 in. diam., glabrous or nearly so; female rather smaller. Nut ovoid, compressed, smooth, rather shorter than the persistent perianth.— Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 225; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 251.

North Island: "Southern extreme, Bidwill" (Handbook). Chatham Islands: H. H. Travel's! Cox and Cockayne! Stewart Island: Not seen on the main island, but not uncommon on Dog Island and other small islands in Foveaux Strait, Kirk! Antipodes Island: Kirk! Auckland Islands: Sir J. D. Hooker, Kirk! December–March.

Remarkable for its stout succulent habit and large leaves. Although reported from the North Island in the Handbook, on the authority of Bidwill, of late years no New Zealand botanist has met with it on any part of the mainland of either the North or South Island.

U. Aucklandica, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 68.—A rigid herb, everywhere pubescent with short greyish-white hairs. Stems stout, erect, angled, about 1 ft. high; stinging hairs few, chiefly clustered at the thickened nodes. Leaves opposite, spreading, 2–3 in. long, 1½ -2½ in. broad, broadly ovate, acute, usually cordate at the base, rather coriaceous, many-nerved, coarsely serrate or dentate; petioles stout, ½–1 in. long; stipules rather large, interpetiolar, 2-fid or 2-partite. Male flowers alone seen, in short axillary spikes. Perianth-segments 4, rounded, concave, setose on the back. Stamens 4; filaments short.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 252.

Auckland Islands: Near the sea-beach at the margin of woods, rare, Sir J. D. Hooker.

I have seen no specimens of this, and the above description has been compiled from that given in the "Flora Antarctica." It appears to be very close to U. australis, differing chiefly in the smaller size and more rigid habit, and in the dense greyish-white pubescence.

U. incisa, Poir. Encycl. Suppl. iv. 224. — Stems slender, erect or decumbent at the base, much or sparingly branched or simple, sparsely clothed with weak stinging hairs but otherwise glabrous, 1–2 ft. high, rarely more. Leaves on long slender petioles, very variable in size and shape; blade ½ -2½ in. long, broadly ovate-deltoid to lanceolate, acute or acuminate, cordate or truncate or cuneata at the base, deeply and acutely toothed, membranous; page 636stinging hairs few, weak. Spikes or racemes single or geminate in the axils of the upper leaves, often branched, longer or shorter than the petioles, the lower male and the upper female, or inflorescence altogether diœcious. Male perianth 1/15 diam., glabrous or nearly so; female perianth much smaller when in flower but enlarging as the fruit ripens. Nut ovoid, compressed, rather longer than the persistent slightly enlarged perianth.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 251; Benth. Fl. Austral. vi. 190. U. lucifuga, Hook. f. in. Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. vi. (1847) 285; Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 225.

Var. linearifolia, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 225.—Leaves very narrow-linear, 1–3½ in. long, ⅛–½ in. wide. Spikes shorter, sometimes reduced to axillary glomerules.

North and South Islands: Not uncommon in shaded places, from the North Cape to Foveaux Strait. Sea-level to 4000 ft. Flowers spring and summer.

Also common in Australia and Tasmania, and very near to the northern U. dioica (which is sparingly naturalised in New Zealand), principally differing in the more slender habit, in not being conspicuously pubescent between the stinging hairs, and in the usually shorter spikes.