196 Dr. SMITH” Obfer vations on 
Under the firft variety of this fpecies I comprehend every thing 
that has been taken in England, and indeed. moft. other countries, 
for M. aquatica and M. birfuta of Linnzus; the editor of Fl. Dan. 
4, 638 being not lefs fingular in naming it Origanum vulgare, than he 
is in calling Ballota nigra, t. 673, Mentha aquatica, It varies greatly 
in luxuriance, degree of hairinefs, and colour of the ftem and foliage; . 
but every difference in thefe refpects is fo manifeftly owing to a 
greater or lefs degree of moifture, or of expofure to light, that 
among all the fynonyms I have quoted, I can find no diftinétion. 
permanent or intelligible enough to. characterize even: a feparate 
variety, much lefs a fpecie. What I have marked 8 is fo diftin- 
guithed only in deference to-Dillenius, and more with refpe& to the | 
{weet fmell he attributes to it, than to any thing in its form EF 
. have not been fo fortunate as to find this variety in any old dea 
. rium, as has been already obferved under M. odorata. : 
__ y differs but little. in form from the common M. TUN Eisen 
in being rather more flender, of a paler hue, and the leaves fome- 
what lefs hairy. Its principal difference confifts in its Peppermint 
flavour. This is the M. piperita of Linnzus and Bergius, cultivated: 
in the north of Europe for Pepper-mint. Linnzus’s fpecimen is. 
from the Upfal garden, and has-the flavour of our M. piperita very. 
rong. . This . circumftance. led. him. to confider it as the plant of. 
EM enn i agreeing: 
with i iti in | appearance, but do: not: ial e tto" have the fame: 
flavour in any wild one.. If the M. aquatica five Sifymbrium of John 
Bauhin be.not our M. piperita By it is this piperita of Linnæus ; but 
that point muft remain in doubt, for want of a defcription: of the 
calyx. In this variety the ftamina ate fhorter than the corolla, at 
leaft in the Linnean fpecimen ; ; in « and B théy are longer. p 
^ isa very curious variety, for I cannot confider it as a fpecies, 
ous "S | eph - 
