Genus 19. 



MINT FAMILY. 



121 



19. LAMIUM [Tourn.] L. Sp. PI. 579. 1753. 



Annual or perennial mostly diffuse herbs, with crenate dentate or incised, usually cordate 

 leaves, and rather small flowers, verticillate in axillary and terminal clusters. Calyx tubular- 

 campanulate, about 5-nerved, 5-toothed, the teeth sharp, equal or the upper ones longer. 

 Tube of the corolla mostly longer than the calyx, dilated above, its limb 2-lipped ; upper lip 

 concave, erect, usually entire, narrowed at the base; lower lip spreading, 3-cleft, the middle 

 lobe emarginate, contracted at the base, the lateral ones sometimes each with a tooth-like 

 appendage. Stamens 4, didynamous, ascending under the upper lip of the corolla, the anterior 

 pair the longer; anthers 2-celled, the sacs divaricate, often hirsute on the back. Ovary deeply 

 4-parted; style 2-cleft at the summit. Nutlets smooth or tuberculate. [Greek, throat, from 

 the ringent corolla.] 



About 40 species, natives of the Old World, known as Dead-Nettie or Hedge Dead-Nettie. 

 Type species: Lamium purpureum L. 



Upper leaves sessile or clasping. 1. L. ample xicaule. 

 Leaves all petioled. 



Flowers red or purple. 



Corolla 6"-q" long ; leaves not blotched. 2. L. purpureum. 



Corolla io"-i2" long; leaves commonly blotched. 3. L. maculatum. 



Flowers white. 4. L. album. 



i. Lamium amplexicaule L. Henbit. 



Greater Henbit. Henbit Dead 



Nettle. Fig. 3610. 



Lamium amplexicaule L. Sp. PI. 579. 1753. 



Biennial or annual, sparingly pubescent ; 

 stems branched from the base or also from 

 the lower axils, slender, ascending or decum- 

 bent, 6'-l8' long. Leaves orbicular or nearly 

 so, coarsely crenate, i'-li' wide, rounded at 

 the apex, the lower slender-petioled, mostly 

 cordate, the upper sessile and more or less 

 clasping; flowers rather few in axillary and 

 terminal clusters ; calyx pubescent, its teeth 

 erect, nearly as long as the tube ; corolla pur- 

 plish or red, 6"-8" long, its tube very slender, 

 the lateral lobes of its lower lip very small, 

 the middle one spotted ; upper lip somewhat 

 pubescent ; flowers sometimes cleistogamous. 



In waste and cultivated ground, New Bruns- 

 wick to Ontario, Minnesota, British Columbia, 

 Florida, Arkansas and California and in Ber- 

 muda and Jamaica. Naturalized from Europe. 

 Native also of Asia. Feb -Oct. 



2. Lamium purpureum L. Red 

 Dead Nettle. Fig. 361 1. 



Lamium purpureum L. Sp. PI. 579. 1753. 



Annual, slightly pubescent, branched from 

 the base and sometimes also above ; stems 

 stout or slender, decumbent. 6'-i8' long. Leaves 

 crenate or crenulate, the lower orbicular or 

 broadly ovate, slender-petioled, rounded at the 

 apex, cordate at the base, the upper ovate, 

 short-petioled, sometimes acute at the apex, 

 i'-ll' long ; flowers in axillary and terminal 

 clusters; calyx teeth narrowly lanceolate, acu- 

 minate, slightly longer than the tube, spread- 

 ing, at least in fruit; corolla purple-red, rarely 

 exceeding i' long, its tube rather stout, the 

 lateral lobes of its lower lip reduced to I or 2 

 short teeth, its middle lobe spotted ; upper lip 

 very pubescent. 



In waste and cultivated soil, Newfoundland to 

 Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Missouri. Also 

 in ballast about the northern seaports. Natural- 

 ized or adventive from Europe. Native also of 

 Asia. Old names, red or sweet archangel ; day-, 

 dog-, french- or deaf-nettle. Rabbit-meat. April- 

 Oct. 



