Tas. 6405. 
NEPETA spicata. 
Native of the Western Himalaya. 
Nat. Ord. Lasrata.—Tribe Nererz. 
Genus Nepeta, Linn. (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen, Plant. vol. ii. p. 1199). 
Nereta spicata; glabra v. parce puberula v. hirsuta, caule erecto v. basi ascen- 
dente, foliis longe petiolatis late ovatis acutis v. obtusis crenatis basi cordatis 
v. truncatis utrinque viridibus, nervis subtus prominulis, spicis oblongis y. 
linearibus dense- v. laxi-floris interdum interruptis, bracteis oblongo- v. ellip- 
tico-lanceolatis subulato-acuminatis calycem mquantibus v. superantibus, 
calycis dentibus subulatis tubum rectum v. curvatum costatum squantibus, 
corolla tubo late infundibulari calyce duplo longiore, labio superiore brevi 
2-lobo, .inferioris lobis lateralibus brevissimis terminali orbiculari concavo 
albo. 
N. spicata, Benth. in Wall. Pl. As. Rar. vol. i. p. 64, et in D.C, Prod. vol. xii. 
p. 872. 
Beronica levigata, Don Prod. Fl. Nep. p. 110. 
One of the commonest Himalayan cat-mints, ranging from 
the Kumaon to Kashmir and Murree, at elevations of 7,000 
to 12,000 feet, but not found in Nepal or anywhere to the 
eastward of it. In its most fully developed state it forms an 
erect herbaceous perennial, two to three feet high, with 
dense spikes of bright purple flowers, three to four inches 
long and an inch broad, and there are sometimes five and six 
spikes on abranch ; such is the var. e/ata of Bentham, which, 
however, passes gradually into the smaller and commoner 
form of the plant here figured. This was sent by T. Ander- 
son Henry, Esq., from his rich herbaceous garden at Trinity, 
Edinburgh, where it flowered for the first time in September 
last. Besides its varying in stature, the bracts present all 
sizes, from equalling the calyx to three times that length, 
when the spikes appear bristly from the long exserted seta- 
JANUARY Ist, 1879, 
