CLASS XIV. ORDER I.] CALAMINTHA. 807 



Melissa calamintha, Linn. — Thymus calamintha. — English Botany, 

 1. 1676. — English Flora, vol. iii. p. 110. — Hooker, British Flora, eel. 4. 

 vol. i. p 234. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 201. 



Root uiih short creeping suckers. Stem erect, about two feet high, 

 branched and leafy, soft, with slender spreading or recurved hairs, 

 obtusely angular, and often of a purplish colour. Leaves broadly 

 ovate, somewhat acutely pointed, soft, with pubescence, pale on the 

 under side, the margin entire, or slightly serrated. Injiorescence 

 distant whorls, of numerous flowers, sub-corymbose, with forked pedi- 

 cles, the hracteas small, awl-shaped. Calyx tubular, slightly swollen 

 at the base, on the under side ribbed and hairy, the lower lip with 

 awl-shaped ciliated teeth, longer than the three acute elevated upper 

 ones. Corolla somewhat inflated, finely downy, pale purple, the lower 

 lip with purple and white spots. Seeds small, roundish. 



Habitat. — Hedges, road sides, and waste places, frequent ; in 

 England, South of Ireland. 



Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 



The leaves and calyx are scattered over with small glandular dots, 

 which secrete a volatile oil of a sweet aromatic flavour, used to 

 make herb tea, in combination with Peppermint, Balm, Sage, Penny- 

 royal, &c., forming a warm stomachic drink, useful in a debilitated 

 state of the system. 



2. C, Nep'etaj Clairvill. (Fig. 928.) Lesser Calamint. Whorls of 

 numerous flowers ; leaves roundish ovate, obtusely serrated, hairy, as 

 well as the stem ; calyx slightly swollen at the base on the under side, 

 the throat with a dense ring of prominent hairs, the lower lip with awl- 

 shaped teeth, scarcely longer than the upper. 



Hooker, British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 234. — Melissa Nepeta, Linn. — 

 Lindley, Synopsis, p. 202. — Thymus Nepeta, Smith. — English Botany» 

 t. 1414. — English Flora, vol. iii. p. 111. 



Stem erect, obtusely angular, purplish branched, and soft, with 

 short spreading pubescence. Leaves numerous, on slender footstalks, 

 roundish ovate, obtusely and unequally serrated, paler and more downy 

 on the under side. Flowers numerous, in spreading sub-corymbose 

 whorls, on an elongated common stalk. Bractea awl-shaped. Calyx 

 small, tubular, scarcely swollen at the base, ribbed and downy, the 

 lower lip with angular awl-shaped teeth, scarcely longer than the upper, 

 the throat surrounded with a dense ring of white protruded hairs. 

 Corolla smooth, or slightly downy, inflated upwards, pale purple, the 

 lower lip spotted with white and purple dots. 



Habitat. — Dry banks and waste places, especially in a sandy or 

 chalky soil in England. 



Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 



This species possesses properties similar to the last, but in a less 

 degree. It is nearly allied to it, and is distinguished by its rounder 



