IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 235 
ployed ; so that we are led to conclude that the bite of these 
reptiles is seldom fatal, or even very dangerous, in these 
cooler portions of the country. 
About the foot of the Roan and Grandfather, we obtained 
afew specimens of Pyenanthemum montanum, Michx. (Mo- 
nardella, Benth.) just coming into blossom. Our plant 
accords with Michaux's description, except that there are 
frequently 2, or even 3 axillary heads besides the terminal 
one. The flowers have altogether the structure of Pyenan- 
themum, and the upper lip of the corolla is entire; so that it 
cannot belong to Monardella, although placed as the leading 
species of that genus. 
As to the species from which Mr. Bentham derived the 
generic name, (Pycnanthemum Monardella, Michx.) I am by 
no means certain, that it belongs either to Pycnanthemum or 
Monardella. The specimen in the Michauxian Herbarium is 
not out of flower, as has been thought ; but the inflorescence 
is undeveloped, and perhaps in an abnormal state. In ex- 
amining a small portion, taken from the head, I found 
nothing but striato-nerved bracts, obtuse and villous at the 
apex, and abruptly awned ; the exterior involucrate and often 
lobed ; the innermost linear, and tipped with a single awn. 
The aspect of the plant, also, is so like Monarda fistulosa, 
that Iam strongly inclined to think it a monstrous state of 
it, or some nearly allied species; in which case, the genus 
Monardella should be restricted to the Californian species. 
Pursh’s P, Monardella, Y may observe, was collected beneath 
the Natural-Bridge in Virginia, where we also obtained the 
Plant, and subsequently met with it throughout the moun- 
tains. It is certainly a form of Monarda fistulosa, according 
to Mr. Bentham’s characters; but the taste is much less 
pungent, the throat of the calyx less strongly bearded than 
18 usual in that species, with the corolla nearly white. We 
thought it probably distinct; but these differences may be 
Owing to the deep shade in which it commonly grows. The 
P. Monardelia of Elliott, according to his herbarium, is iden- 
tical with that of Pursh. We collected in Ashe County 
