DIDYNAMIA— GYMNOSPERMIA. Nepeta. 71 



285. NEPETA. Cat-mint. 



Limi. Gen. 289. Juss. 1 13. Fl. Br. 608. Lam. t. 502. 

 Cataria. Tourn. t. 95. 



Cal. tubular, cylindrical, with 5 acute, rather unequal, di- 

 i-ect, marginal teeth. Cor. ringent; tube cylindrical, 

 slender, incurved, dilated at the throat, which is border- 

 ed, at each side, with a narrow, reflexed lobe; upper lip 

 erect, roundish, slightly cloven ; loixer rounded, concave, 

 large, undivided, numerously notched. Filam. awl- 

 shaped, near together, covered by the upper lip. Anth. 

 incumbent. Germ, superior, small, 4-cleft. »S/j/Z^ thread- 

 shaped, of the length and situation of the stamens. Stig- 

 ma cloven, acute. Seeds 4, nearly ovate, even, in the 

 bottom of the dry permanent calyx. 



The lateral lobes of the lower lip are transferred to the 

 margin of the tube. 



Perennial, upright, finely downy, herbs ; rarely hairy, or 

 nearly smooth; with a strong aromatic scent. Leaves 

 undivided, serrated. Fl. very numerous, in copious, 

 dense, crowded whorls. Cor. white, reddish, or blue, 

 often spotted. N. multifida but ill agrees with the cha- 

 racter or habit of the rest. 



1. N. cataria. Common Cat-mint, or Nep. 



Whorls stalked, crowded into spikes. Leaves finely down}', 

 heart-shaped, stalked, with tooth-like serratures. 



N. cataria. Linn. Sp. PI. 796. Willd. j;.3.49. Fl. Br. 608. Engl. 



Bot. V. 2, t. 137. Hook. Scot. 180. Fl. Dan. t. 580. Bull. Fr. 



t. 287. 

 Nepeta. Riv. Monop. Irr. t. 52. 

 N. major vulgaris. Rail Syn. 237. 

 Cataria n. 246. Hall. Hist. v. 1. 108. 

 C. herba. Dod. Pempt. 99./. 

 Mentha felina, seu Cattaria. Ger. Em. 682./. 

 Herba Gattaria. Matth. Falgr. v. 2. 79./ Camer. Epit. '184./ 



On banks and by road sides^ principally in a chalky or gravelly 

 soil. 



Perennial. July. 



Root tapering, with many fibres. Herbage hoary, very soft and 

 downy, exhaling a strong, pungent, aromatic smell, approaching 

 to that of Mentha Pulegium, and peculiarly grateful to Cats. 

 Stems 2 or 3 feet high, upright, branched. Leaves coarsely ser- 

 rated, paler beneath. Fl. very numerous, white ; lower lip 



