438 XCVIII. LABIATiE. 



Okdeb XCVIII. LABIATE. 



Herbs rarely shrubs, often gland-dotted ; branches opposite or verti- 

 cillate, usually 4-angled. Leaves opposite or whorled ; stipules 0. 

 Flowers hermaphrodite, irregular, solitary, 2-nate or fascicled and 

 axillary, or in centrifugal spicate cymes which by union in pairs form 

 false whorls ; bracts small ; bracteoles usually minute, opposite. Calyx 

 inferior, gamosepalous, persistent, subregular or irregular, 4-5-tid or 

 distinctly 2-lipped. Corolla gamopetalous ; limb 4-5-lobed or distinctly 

 2-lipped ; lobes imbricate. Stamens adnate to the corolla-tube, 4, 

 didynamous or only 2 perfect ; anther-cells connate, separate or con- 

 fluent, dehiscing longitudinally. Disk prominent. Ovary superior, 

 deeply 4-lobed ; style simple from the centre of the ovary between the 

 lobes, erect, filiform ; stigma usually 2-fid, sometimes unequally ; ovules 

 solitary in each lobe of the ovary, erect, anatropous. Fruit of 4 dry 

 (rarely fleshy) 1-seeded nutlets at the base of the calyx, sometimes 1 or 

 more suppressed. Seed solitary in the nutlets, small, erect ; albumen 

 scanty or ; embryo conform to the seed ; radicle inferior. — Disteib. 

 Genera about 140 ; species about 3000, chiefly in warm dry temperate 

 regions. 



Perfect stameus 4, deelinate ; anther-cells at length confluent. 

 .Attachment of nutlets basilar. 



Lower lip of corolla somewhat deelinate, flat or .slightly 

 concave, generally narrower but hardly longer than 

 the usually 4-lobed upper lip. 



Fruiting calyx deflexed, the upper lobe widest, 

 large, ovate, recurved, tbe margins decurrent on 

 the tube. 



Corolla-tube short ; lower lip flat ; stigma 



2-fid 1. OciMUM. 



Corolla-tube usually long ; lower lip concave ; 



stigma entire 2. Outhosipiion. 



Fruiting calyx suberect or deelinate, the upper lobe 

 broader than the others, the margins not de- 

 current on tbe tube. 



Whorls crowded in terminal and axillary 

 globose or ovoid beads with imbricate 



bracts; calyx suberect 3. Acuocepiialus. 



Whorls racemose or spicate ; calyx usually 

 deelinate. 



Racemes simple. 



Bracts conspicuous ; lower lip of 



calyx not inflexed 4. Geniosporum. 



Bracts small ; lower lip of calyx 



inflexed 5. Platystoma. 



Racemes paniculate 6. Mosciiosma. 



Lower lip of corolla deflexed, concave, boat-shaped or 

 saccate, much longer than the ujjper lip. 



Upper lip of corolla very short, obtusely 3-4- 

 toothed. 



Calyx equally ."i-toothed or somewhat 2-li))pcd 

 with 3-toothed upper and 2-tootlied lower 

 lip ; or with npjjer lobe large, rounded, 

 rcflexed, the others narrow subulate. 



Filaments free 7. Plectranthus. 



Filaments connate at the base round the 

 style 8. OoLEus. 



