Our plant was raised from seed transmitted in 1821 by 

 Mr. George Don from Sierra Leone to the Horticultural 

 Society, in wliose garden at Cliiswick we were favoured 

 with an opportunity of describing it. Mr. Don informs us, ^ 



that it is in request at Sierra Leone for medicinal purposes, 

 and that it is there called the Fever Plant. 



Speaking of the genus Ocymum, Mr. Brown remarks 

 (prod. 506), " that the whole genus requires to be entu-oly 

 revised, in order to ascertain what species are furnished 

 with toothed filaments ; and how far that character, which 

 at present is of doubtful value, is of real importance in 

 fixing limits to the genus." 



An umlet'-shruh 3 feet high, naked of foliage, and having 

 in a high degree the smell of common Balm. Stem 4-cor- 

 nered, hairy, rounded at the angles, which are destitute of 

 pubescence. Leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate, drawn to 

 a point, blunt, crcnate, nearly smooth, with a long stalk ; 



y 



d 



with dots. Branches terminal, villous. Flowers pale green, 

 dispersed in 6-flowered whorls. Bractece to each whorl 

 two, thin, ovate-rhombshapcd, pale, deciduous. Flower- 

 stalks short, slender, downy. Cali/x campanulate, hairy, 

 dotted; the upper division broad, ovate, the lateral seg- 

 ments subulate, spreading, the lower division w^ith two 

 teeth, and directed upwards. Corolla nearly of the same 

 length with the c(dyx, pubescent, 5-toothed; tlie four up- 

 per teeth being nearly of equal size and turned upwards ; 

 the lip larger than they, ovate, concave, purple, veined, 

 with the edges turned back. Stamens bent downwards, the 

 two at the back being inserted above the bottom of the 

 tube, with a short villous spur below their middle ; the two 

 in front inserted into the base of the labellum, smooth and 

 without a spur. Anthers yellow, smooth, with the filaments 

 inserted into their back; their cells running together at 

 their point. Pollen round. Ovaries 4, immersed in a 

 fleshy discus. Style filiform. Stigma bifid. 



J.L. 





