Parietaria L.
Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes woody at base, without stinging hairs. Lvs alternate, entire, exstipulate. Cymes axillary. Fls inconspicuous, ⚥ or unisexual, bracteolate. Perianth green or variously tinged; perianth of ♀ fls 4-partite; perianth of ⚥ fls 4-partite, connate at base at flowering, becoming tubular and 4-toothed at fruiting; ⚥ fls strongly protogynous. Achenes enclosed in perianth and sometimes in bracteoles.
Key
1
Annual; petioles often > lf blades; lvs thin, delicate; bracteoles = or > perianth at fruiting
30 spp., temperate and tropical. Native sp. 1, naturalised 2.
