Urtical

Urticales was considered an order of herbaceous and woody plants. It is now called "Urticaceae" and is a family corresponding to the Rosales order.

History of the taxon

After the classification carried out by the APG III classification system of 2009, the plants corresponding to this order, including four families, became part of the order Rosales and of the subclass Rosidae. The reason for the change of subclass is due to the abandonment of the Hamamelidae taxon itself, also due to the APG III system.

The following four families are therefore considered within the Rosales order, and due to the relationship they have between them after studying the phylogenetic analyzes of their DNA sequences, they are also called urtical rosids.

Two other families previously considered within this taxon should be highlighted: Celtidaceae and Cecropiaceae:

• Celtidaceae: was initially included in the Ulmaceae family as a genus Celtis. However, genetic analysis of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group showed that it corresponded more adequately to the Cannabaceae family.

• Cecropiaceae: is included in the urticaceae family, giving rise to gender Cecropia.

Features

Variable flowers, hermaphroditic and unisexual; gynoecium frequently superior, with open carpels, unilocular; generally anemophilous and solitary, if there are inflorescences, these are isolated and variable, rarely in monochlamydean catkins. The fruits are drupes also called nutlets. Chalazogamy to porogamy.