&Oti IIORTUS JAIvfAICENSISl j^Nt 



MINT. MENTHA. 



CL. \i, OR. 1. Didjjnamia gymnospermia. Nat. or. T'enicillaf^. 



Ce^'. (.liAii. i-aiyx aone-It'i.fc'Ll, live-toothed penMntli ; corolla one-petaleJ, four- 

 parted, one segment broader, emargiiiaie; stamens avvl-shaped, tun sborler; 

 aiuiiers rutin Jisu ; the pistil has a f'nir-c!et"t germ, a fihform tv;e. and bifid stigma; 

 no pericarp ; caiyx upright, with the seeds in the outtoui, vviiicii are lour, and 

 s;:.ull. The foilouing specie^ have been jutrodueed. 



1. VlRiDlS.- GUtEX. 



Spikes oblong; leaves lanceolate, naked, serrave, sessile; stamens longcrlhan 

 the coroUa. 



This is commonli- C'lUed spenr-rninf, and i, the most useful species. It thrives '.rell 

 ifl Jamaica, is cultivated in most <;ardens, and may often be found in a wdd state 

 Tne leaves and tops of tins piaiit are nsed in salads, and eaten as sauce with iamb and 

 in soups; a conserve of litem is gratefiU, and the di.sti lied waters, both simpie and 

 spiiitu-us, uiiicii e^eetued Tlie. virtues ^if mint are, those, of a warm slomacnii-^ and 

 carminative: in- loss of appetite, nansi-a, and continual retching, there are few sim- 

 ples of <-(]iiai tfii acj. in chgiicky pains, the gripes to whicli ctnkhvu are subject, 

 lienterjes, and other immoderate fluxes, this pi. nt frequently does good service. It 

 likewise proves b. m ficial in manv li\Meric cases, and aii'ords an usefnl cor li A in lan- 

 guors and other weaknesses consequent upon deliverv. The best preparation in these 

 cases is a strong infusion of tiie dried herb in yvaier (which is much superior to the 

 gret-n), or rainer a tiiictui"e or extract prepared with rectified spodr. These possess 

 die whole virtues of the mint ; the essential oil anJ di-stilled water contain only the aro- 

 matic part; the expressed 'juice only ttie astringency and bitterishncss, together with 

 the mucilagin.'us substance common to al. vegetables. 



When mint i- cut for dr\in^, it siiould be done just when it is in flower, and on a 

 di^r tiay ; f r, if cut in w-ctweather, the leaves will change black, it should be tied 

 iii'siijall buiicnes, and hung iu a shady place, upon lines. 



Lewis obst rves ihi<t n.inl is said to prevent tne coagulation of milk, and hence re- 

 coiumetideil iii milk diets ; when dry, and digested in rectificxl spirits of wine, it gives 

 out a tincture which appears by day-light of a fine dark green, but by candle light of a 

 briiiht red <-oloiir. A small quantit, is g;een by day-liglit or candle-light, but a large 

 (piantiiv seems imi)eivious t > c(3mmon day-light ; but, when held between the eye and 

 the can'die, or Letwi en the eye and the sun, it appears red. If put in a fiat bottle it 

 appears g.reen &idewd._ s, but viewed edgewise red, 



2. PIPERITA. PEPPERMINT. 



Flowers in hsa Is ; leaves ovate-petioled ; stamens shorter than the corolla. 

 This has smooth purple stalks, and the leaves are smaller than those of the- spear- 

 mint ; the\ are lanceolate, serrate, verv dark green, with pur]>le tnid-ribs and veins, 

 tk, little hi.iiv on ti.e under side. The spikes of the flowers are shorter and thicker than 

 Spcar-niiMi, and ire broken or interrupted at bottom. The corolla is of a dar'^ purple 

 colour, the stamens longer than it. The stem and leaves are beset with many very 

 minute glands, con:aining the essential oil, which rises plentifully in distillation. 

 P?j>^(^i--uaint has a more pw'netrat'uig saioij tlun the other species, and a more pungent 



glowing 



