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Melissa Grandiflora. Great-Flower'd 



Balm. 



C/tf/j d»</ Order. 



DlDYN AMI A GymNOSPE&MIA. 



Generic Character. 



CaL aridus, fupra planiufculus; labio fuperiore fubfaftigiato. 

 Cordlla lab. fuper. fubfornicatum, 2-fidum ; labium inf. lobo 

 medio cordato. 



Specific Cbaracler and Synonyms. 



MELISSA grandiflora pedunculis axillaribus dichotomis lon- 

 gitudineflorum. Linn. Syft. Vegetal, ed. 14. Mttrr. 

 p. 542. Ait. Kew. v. 2. p. 315. 

 CALAMINTHA magno fiore. Baub. Pin. 229. 

 CALAMINTHA montana prsftantior. The more excellent 

 Calamint. Ger. Herb. p. 556. as to the 

 name. Ger. emac. 687. as to the figure. 



The Melijfa grandiflora, a beautiful and hardy perennial, 

 grows fpontaneoufly on the hilly and mountainous parts 01 

 France, Italy, and Germany ; Gerard mentions it as found 

 wild in this country, which Hands in need of further con- 

 firmation ; there is little doubt, however, but he had culti- 

 vated the plant ; as he fays, " brought into the garden, it proi- 

 M pcreth marvellous well and very eafily foweth itfelf." 



It is the more valuable, as it flowers during mod of the 

 fummer. 



There is a variety of it with white, and another with red 

 flowers, both much inferior in fize to thofe of the plant here fi- 

 gured, and therefore not worth cultivating ; we have a variety 

 alfo with variegated leaves which we obtained from feeds. 



This plant is. readily propagated by parting its roots IB 

 autumn, and may alfo be raifed from feeds, which are plenti- 

 fully produced : as it rarely Exceeds a foot in height, it be- 

 comes a fuitable plant for the fmall flower border, or for the 

 decoration of rock-work. 



The leaves when bruifed have the fmell of garden balm. 



