MENTHA PIPERITA. 
upper pair being abortive or wanting, situated on the co- 
rolla tube. Anthers mostly two-celled. 
Ovary. Free, deeply four-lobed, the single style arising from 
the base of the lobes. 
Frorr. One —four hard nuts or achenia. 
Seeps. Erect, with little or no albumen. Embryo erect. 
Cotyledons flat. 
Tue Seconpary CHARACTERS. 
Mentua. Calyx equally five-toothed. Corolla nearly reg- 
ular, four-cleft, the broadest segment emarginate. Stamens 
four, straight, distant. Anthers cells parallel. Filaments naked. 
gaerele nearly equal, four-lobed, broadest division emarginate. Stamens erect, 
‘distant. 
Tur Speciric CHaracTeRs. 
Menraa piperira. Leaves smooth, ovate-lanceolate, ser- 
rate, petiolate. Bracts lanceolate. Calyx quite smooth at 
base. 
Spikes obtuse, interrupted below. Leaves subovate, somewhat glabrous, petioled. 
Stem glabrous at the base. 
Tue Arririctan CHaRacTErs, 
Opie Dirnama. ‘Stamens four, two of them longer than 
the other two. Orper Gymnosrermia. Seeds naked. Ache- 
nia four (or fewer) included in the calyx. Corolla mono- 
petalous and labiate. __ 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
_Perpermint is a native of Europe, and has become natural- 
ized in many parts of the United States. It is a perennial 
herbaceous plant, and grows in wet and moist places, flower- 
_ ing the latter part of the summer. It is occasionally found 
_ growing wild along the fences and by-places of the country. 
In many parts of New England, and especially in the west- 
ern part of New York, in Ohio, and New Jersey, the plant is 
largely cultivated for the sake of its volatile oil. . All the spe- 
cies } are raised by the same methods, by parting the roots, by 
offse young plants, and by cuttings of the stalks. The 
ultivator ‘the plant observe that, to keep up its quality, the 
™ ast be transplanted every three years, otherwise it de- 
tes into Sa fare a, of, Spcareninte coplpicag viridis. If 
