212 Dr. SMITH'S Obfervations on 
{mell of M. viridis, at teaft in the moft common variety, «.— has 
the flavour of M. piperita, and is befides remarkable for its deflexed 
leaves, The very near refemblance in fenfibie qualities of thefe 
two varieties to the two fpecies juft named, led me at one time to 
fuípe& the inflorefcence had here again deceived us, and that they 
` were only varieties of thofe fpiked Mints. A careful examination 
of tha important part, the calyx, however, guarded me againft this 
error, at leaít as far as M. piperita is concerned. The calyx of that 
Ípecies is much longer, lefs campanulate, and more acutely ribbed 
than in any variety of M. gracilis ; in fhort its form and appearance, 
without adverting to other parts of the plant, fufficiently prove 
- them to be diftin&. In M. viridis I am obliged to confefs the calyx 
 moft precifely accords in every particular with that of gracilis, But 
the leaves of the latter being attenuated at the bafe, and by no means 
fo ftrongly veined, or rugofe, as in the viridis, even without con- 
fidering the inflorefcence, prevent us from confounding them. I 
fpeak now of gracilis «3 for in Band y the leaves are much lefs at- 
tenuated at the bafe, and more approach to an ovate form, + is 
the mint Cafpar and John Bauhin characterized by its fmell, which 
they juftly compared to. Ocymum or Sweet Bafil. This is not per- 
ceptible in all flages of its growth, bat very permanent in dried 
fpecimens, in which it refembles the flavour of Mufcadel Grapes. 
In this plant the leaves that accompany the flowers are fo very - 
much fmallér than the reft, and often fo like braétex, they almoft 
reduce it to the fpiked divifion of the genus. It is indeed a moft 
puzzling plant. Perhaps it ought to be reckoned a fpecies, and 
arranged next to M. viridis. This is a point I muft leave to thofe 
who can ftudy it in a truly wild ftate. In garden fpecimens I find 
the floral leaves vary too much in fize to enable me to come to any 
a pe determination. 
TA aiia 
