1050 LAMIACEAE 



2. Mentha gentilis I.. >Stems sparingly pubescent, erect and 2-7 dm. tall, or much 

 branched, the branches spreading : leaf-blades oval, ovate or elliptic, 1.5-5 cm. long, acute, 

 serrate, the entire base narrowed to a short petiole : clusters aV)out 1 cm. thick : calyx 1.5 

 mm. long, slightly bristly ; tube campanulate ; lobes triangular, acute or slightly acumi- 

 nate : corolla deep ])ink or lilac, 2.5 mm. long, the upper lip as broad as long, deeply 

 notched, the lower lip 3-lobed, the middle lobe oblong, its lateral lobes ovate or oval, all 

 obtuse. 



In waste places and along roiads, Maine to New York and Georgia. Summer and fall. 



3. Mentha Canadensis L. Stems erect, 2-6 dm. tall, simple or much branched, 

 pubescent with recurved or retrorse hairs : leaf-blades oblong, elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, 

 2-7 cm. long, acute, serrate, the entire bases gradually or abruptly narrowed into margined 

 petioles: clusters 1-1.5 cm. thick: calyx nearly 2 mm. long, minutely pubescent; tube 

 campanulate ; lobes lanceolate-subulate, about i as long as the tube : corolla pink or white, 

 3 mm. long, the upper lip broadly oblong, notched, the lower lip 3-lobed, its middle lobe 

 narrowed upward, barely notched, its lateral lobes ovate, obtuse. 



In moist soil or meadows. New Brunswick to the Northwest Territory and British Columbia, North 

 Carolina, Nebraska and New Mexico. Sun:mer and fall. 



4. Mentha spicata L. Stems glabrous or nearly so, 2-5 dm. tall, commonly much 



branched : leaf-blades oblong, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, acute, sharply serrate, short- 



petioled : panicles spike-like, slender, 3-10 cm. long, 5-8 mm. thick, often interrupted 



below : calyx nearly glal)rous, 1 mm. long ; tube campanulate ; lobes subulate from a 



broad base, as long as the tube : corolla pale pink, 2.5 mm. long, the upper lip broader 



than long, notched, the lower lip 3-lobed, its lobes ovate, obtuse. 



In waste places and on roadsides, Nova Scotia and Ontario to Minnesota, Florida and Kansas. 

 Summer and fall. Spearmint. 



5. Mentha piperita L. Stems glabrous, erect or ascending, 2-7 dm. tall, more or 

 less branched : leaf-blades oblong, oval, oblong-lanceolate or oblong-ovate, 1.5-5 cm. long, 

 acute, sharply serrate, short-jietioled : panicles spike-like, 2-15 cm. long, 1-1.5 cm. thick, 

 often interrupted: pedicels slender: calyx glabrous, 2.5 mm. long; tube cylindric-cam- 

 panulate ; lobes subulate from a broad base, shorter than the tube : corolla 4 mm. long, the 

 upper lip notched, the lower lip with an oblong middle lobe and oval or oblong-oval 

 lateral lobes. 



In wet places, Nova Scotia to Minnesota, Florida and Alabama. Summer and fall. Peppermint. 



6. Mentha citrata Ehrh. Stems glabrous or nearly so, erect or decumbent, 3-11 

 dm. long, simple or branching : leaf-blades ovate to orbicular-ovate, 1.5-4 cm. long, acute, 

 sharply serrate, rounded or subcordate at the base ; petioles .} as long as tlie blades or 

 shorter : panicles 1.5 cm. thick : calyx nearly 4 mm. long ; tube cylindric-turbinate ; lobes 

 subulate from a broader base, shorter than" the tube : corolla pink or whitish, 4.5 mm. 

 long, the upper lip notched, the lower lip with oblong-ovate obtuse lobes. 



In wet places, New York and Ohio to Georgia. Summer and fall. 



7. Mentha rotundifolia (L. ) Huds. Stems canescent-tomentose, erect or ascending 

 from a creeping base, 3-8 dm. tall, simple or branching : leaf-blades oblong, oval or ovate, 

 2-9 cm. long, finely serrate, sessile or nearly so and often partly clasping : panicles spike- 

 like, 1-5 cm. long, about 1 cm. thick: calyx pubescent, 2.5 nun. long; tube campanulate, 

 constricted at the middle in age ; lobes lanceolate, acute, or subulate-tipped at maturhy and 

 then as long as the tube: corolla pink or pale lilac, 3-3.5 mm. long, the upper lip, and 

 lobes of lower lip, oblong or nearly so, obtuse. 



In open grounds or copses, Maine, Georgia. Texas and Mexico. Summer and fall. 



39. MICHELIELLA Briq. 



Perennial caulescent aromatic herbs, sometimes with glandular-pubescent foliage. 



Leaves opposite, rarely essentially whorled : blades flat, rather coarsely toothed, petioled. 



Flowers in terminal racemes or panicled racemes. Calyx spreading or declined at 



maturity : tube campanulate, 10-ribbed, 2-lipped : upper lip of 3 short lobes : lower lip of 



2 longer and narrower segments. Corolla reddish or cream color. Anther-bearing stamens 



4, exserted : filaments more or less coiled. Nutlets smooth. Stone-root. 



Leaves 4 or rarely 6. approximate, sometimes almost whorled at the top of the stem. 1. M. veiiiciUata. 

 Leaves several, ill pairs along the stem. 2. 31. anitata. 



1. Micheliella verticillata (Baldw.) Bricj. Eootstock irregular. Stem finely 



pubescent, 1-5 dm. tall, simple, naked below : leaves usually 4, in 2 approximate pairs 



at the top of the stem ; blades thin, ovate to obovate or cuneate-obovate, 8-16 nun. long, 



acute or abruptly acuminate, coarsely crenate-dentate : racemes usually simple, 5-15 cm. 



