240 



Essential Character. — Calyx tubular, 5- or 10-toothed, inferior, persistent, the 

 odd tooth being next the axis ; regular or irregular. Corolla monopetalous, hypogj'nous, 

 bilabiate ; the upper lip undivided or bifid, overlapping the lower, which is larger and 3- 

 lobed. Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted upon the corolla, alternately with the lobes of the 

 lower lip, the 2 upper sometimes wanting; anthers 2-celled ; sometimes apparently unilo- 

 cular in consequence of the confluence of the cells at the apex ; sometimes 1 cell altogether 

 obsolete, or the 2 cells separated by a bifurcation of the connectivum. Ovarium deeply 4- 

 lobed, seated in a fleshy hypogynous disk ; the lobes each containing 1 erect ovulum ; style 1 , 

 proceeding from the base of the lobes of the ovarium ; stir/ma bifid-, usually acute. Fruit 

 1 to 4 small nuts, enclosed within the persistent calyx. Seeds erect, with little or no albu- 

 men ; embryo erect ; cotyledons flat. — Herbaceous plants or under-shrubs. Stem 4-coruered, 

 with opposite ramifications. Leaves opposite, divided or undivided, without stipula;, re- 

 plete with receptacles of aromatic oil. Floioers in opposite, nearly sessile, axillary cymes, 

 resembling whorls ; sometimes as if capitate. 



Affinities. The 4-lobed ovarium, with a solitary style arising from 

 the base of the lobes, has no parallel among monopetalous orders, except 

 in Boraginese, to which Labiatse must be considered as most closely allied. 

 They differ in the latter having not only an irregular corolla, but not more 

 than 2 or 4 stamens, while the lobes of the corolla are 5, and opposite 

 leaves ; circumstances in which Labiatse resemble Scrophularineoe and the 

 orders allied to it. From all such they are known, in the absence of fruc- 

 tification, by their square stem and the numerous reservoirs of oil in their 

 leaves. For some good remarks upon the anatomy of the stem of Labiatse, 

 see Mirbel in the Annales dii Museum, vol. 15. p. 223. The aestivation of 

 the corolla of this order, first well pointed out by Mr. Brown {Prodr. 500), 

 is an important consideration in determining whether a flower is resupinate 

 or not. Prostanthera is remarkable for the appendages to its antherse, and 

 for the remains of albumen existing in the ripe seeds of several of its species. 

 Brown in Flinders, .566. An arrangement of the genera has been published 

 by Mr. Bentham in the Botanical Register, folios 1282, 1289, 1292, and 

 1300; a very difficult task, on account of the extremely close relation- 

 ship which exists between all the species of this natural family, but one 

 which has been executed in a most skilful and satisfactory manner. Accord- 

 ing to Dr. Griesselich, the reservoirs of oil in the leaves of Labiata; are not 

 analogous to those of Oranges and other plants, but are little utricules having 

 an open orifice; and hence he calls them pores. Ferussac, Jan. 1830, p. 96. 

 200 Geography. Natives of temperate regions in greater abundance than 

 elsewhere, their maximum probably existing between the parallels of 40° and 

 50° N. latitude. They are found in abundance in hot, dry, exposed situa- 

 tions, in meadows, hedgerows, and groves ; not commonly in marshes. In 

 France they form l-24th of the Flora; in Germany, l-26th: in Lapland, 

 l-40th ; the proportion is the same in the United States of North America, 

 and within the tropics of the New World (Humboldt)', in Sicily they are 

 1-21 of flowering plants (PresZ.) ; in the Balearic islands, l-19th. About 

 200 species are mentioned in Dr. Wallich's Catnlofjue of the Indian Flora, 

 a large proportion of which is from the northern provinces. They were not 

 found in Melville Island. 



Propehties. Their tonic, cordial, and stomachic qualities, due to the 

 presence of an aromatic volatile oil and a bitter principle, are the universal 

 feature of Labiatse, which do not contain a single unwholesome or even 

 suspicious species. On account of the bitter qualities, several are used 

 as febrifuges, as the Ocymum febrifugum of Sierra Leone ; and many as 

 aromatics in our food, such as Savory, Mini, Marjoram, and Basil. Others 

 are, found useful in the preparation of slightly tonic beverages, such as Gle- 

 choma hederacea. Sage, Balm of Gilead, &c. When the volatile oil is in 

 great abundance, as in Lavender and Thyme, an agreeable perfume is the 

 result. Rosemary is the herb used in the manufacture of Hungary water. 



