20 FLOWERS OF FIELD, LULL, AND SWAMP 



Corolla and calyx 5-divided, open, spreading. 



The flowers are single on naked stems. The plants grow in 

 mud, lying flat, except the flower-stems, which are erect. Very 

 small, found on wet, muddy river banks. Leaves like fleshy pine 

 needles. 



24. Herpestis amplexicaulis 



Family^ Figwort. Color, blue. Leaves, clasping the stem, 

 egg-shaped, opposite, entire, giving forth a pleasant fragrance 

 when crushed. Time, summer. 



Calyx, 5-parted, the upper sepal heart-shaped. Corolla, 2- 

 lipped, the upper lip notched, the under 3-lobed. Sfatfiens, 4. 

 Style, 2-parted at the top. 



Low and creeping, rather fleshy plants, with single small flow- 

 ers in the leaf-axils. Growing around ponds in pine barrens in 

 New Jersey, to Louisiana. 



25. Fog-fruit 



Llppia lanceolaia. — Family, Vervain. Color, bluish white. 

 Leaves, broad at apex, inverted lance-shaped, toothed above 

 the middle. Time, July to September. 



Calyx and corolla, 2-lipped. The upper corolla-lobe notched ; 

 the lower, large, 3-divided. The single flower is surrounded 

 by a close circle of roughish bracts. Flower-stalk long, slen- 

 der, springing from the leaf-axils. 



A creeping plant, with range from Pennsylvania southward and 

 westward. 



y 26. spearmint 



Mentha vir/'dis. — Family, Mint. Color, pale blue. Iwavcs, 

 oblong, toothed. Time, summer. 



The Mint family is large and important. It inchides 136 gen- 

 era and 2600 species. The general characteristics of the family 

 are square stems, opposite or whorled leaves, a fragrance given 

 out by numerous oily glands, and a truit of four achcne-likc nut- 



