ORIGANUM. 



An erect, hairy, perennial herbaceous plant, with a stem from 6 inches 

 to 2 feet in height. Leaves stalked, broad-ovate, obtuse, subserrate, 

 rounded at the base, green on both sides. Spikes oblong, or cylin- 

 drical, clustered, in corymbose panicles. Bracts ovate, obtuse, coloured, 

 at least half as long again as the calyx. Bentham. — This plant yields what 

 is called oil of thyme in the shops, a common remedy for the pain of 

 toothach in carious teeth. It is frequently used, mixed with olive oil, 

 as a stimulating liniment against baldness, in rheumatic complaints, and 

 against sprains and bruises. 



1015. Thymus vulgaris Linn, is fragrant and stimulating ; its 

 essential oil is administered to remove flatulence. 



1016. Thymus Serpyllum Linn, and many others have the 

 same properties. 



HYSSOPUS. 



Calyx tubular, 15-nerved, equal or oblique at the orifice, with 

 5 equal teeth ; naked inside. Corolla with the tube as long as 

 the calyx ; the upper lip flat, erect, emarginate, the lower spread- 

 ing, trifid, with the middle lobe larger. Stamens 4, protrud- 

 ing, diverging, didynamous. Anthers with linear divaricating 

 cells. 



1017. H. officinalis Linn. sp. 796. Jacq. austr. t. 502. Ben- 

 tham lab. 356. — H. angustifolius Bieberst. fl. taur. cauc. ii. 38. 

 iii. 389. H. orientalis Willd. enum. ii. 600. — South of Europe, 

 and centre of Asia. (Hyssop.) 



The whole plant nearly or quite smooth ; or in some varieties villous. 

 Stem woody at base, spreading, very much branched. Branches rod- 

 like, 1-2 feet long. Leaves sessile, usually oblong-linear, or lanceolate, 

 sometimes elliptical, sometimes narrower, green on each side, rather 

 thick, 1-ribbed underneath. Whorls consisting of from 6 to 15 flowers, 

 1-sided, in a terminal spike. Floral leaves like those of the stem but 

 smaller. Outer bracts lanceolate-linear, acute, scarcely shorter than 

 the calyx. Corolla blueish-purple, rarely white. — A stimulating sto- 

 machic, considered serviceable in hysterical complaints and in relieving 

 flatulence. 



1818. Cunila Mariana Linn, is, according to Barton, employed 

 beneficially in slight fevers and colds, with a view to excite per- 

 spiration. 



HEDEOMA. 



Calyx ovate, tubular, rather gibbous at the bottom on the 

 under side, with 13 striae ; upper lip 3-toothed, lower bifid ; 

 throat villous. Corolla with the tube as long as the calyx, or a 

 little longer ; the upper lip erect and flat, the lower spreading, 

 trifid, with nearly equal lobes, or the middle one rather broader, 

 entire or emarginate. Stamens 2, ascending ; cells of the anthers 

 diverging. 



1019. H. pulegioides Pers. synops. ii. 131. Benih. lab. 366. 

 491 



