114 iMEDICINAL HERBS AND POISOXOUS PLANTS 



Sage in quantitj^ is in demand by tlie herbalists on 

 account of its astringent and aromatic proj^erties. 



^ Balm {Melissa ofjicinalis). — Bahn is a common peren- 

 nial herb, tlie leaves of which possess a distinctive 

 aromatic odour. 



Tbe chief characteristics of the plant are tlie folloM- 



insr: 



1. The flowers are white. 



2. The flowers are arranged in whorls. 



3. The calj^ is tubular and 5 -toothed. 



4. The leaves are ovate, about 2 inches long, somewhat 



hairy and glandular. 



This herb is sometimes used in tlie making of claret 

 cup, and an infusion made by boiling the leaves in water 

 IS an old-fashioned remedy for colds. A volatile oil, 

 extracted from the leaves and flower tops, is used medi- 

 cnially as a stunulant and to correct flatulency. There 

 IS a great demand for Balm by perfumers and by her- 

 balists. It can be cultivated in any fairly good garden 

 soil, and propagation can be effected by cuttings and by 

 root-divisions in spring. 



The above plants o°f the Labiata3 do not include all 

 the wild flowers of this family which at one time or 

 another have been used medicinally. Amono- others are: 



BA81L {Ocymum Basilicum), Hyssop (HyLpus offici- 

 nalis), Bugle {Ajuga reptans), Black Hokehound 



(Balluta mgra). White Dead-nettle {Labium album), 

 yellow Archangel {Lamium Galeohdolov), Mother- 

 wort (Leonurus Cardiaca), Catmint (Nepeta Gataria), 

 Ground Ivy {Kej^eta Jtederacea), Self-heal (Prunella 

 vulgaris), Clary (Salvia Sdarea), Savory {Sahuria 

 montana), Skull-cap (Scatellaria lateriflora): the 

 various species of Stachys like Woundwort and Wood 

 Betony; species of Teucriuvi like Wood Sage, It 



