THE LABIATE FAMILY 



107 



grains on the back of the bee, which carries it to another flower 

 where the pollen will fall on the two-cleft stigma, which is at 

 the end of a long style rising from between 

 the four-lobecl ovarj, and thus fertilize 

 the ovules in the seed-box. 



The stamens of Salvia (fig. 102) arepecuhar 

 in that their anther-lobes are widely separated 

 by a long connective, supported by a short 

 filament. The anther-half on the upper and 

 longer end of the connective is developed, 

 whereas the other half is not. The visiting 

 insect while pushing the lower part of the 

 connective back causes thereby the upper part 

 to descend and deposit its pollen on its back. 



The Fruit, a schizocarp, is composed of 

 four little, one-seeded nutlets at the base 



of the persistent calyx (fig. 103). They originate from two carpels 

 each containing two seeds. When ripe the lobes of the carpels 

 separate, but do not split open, and the gentlest wind can shake 

 them out of the calyx. 



Fig. 103. -The fruit of 

 Tumbe {Lencas aspera). 

 Front part of the calyx- 

 tube removed. 



(0) The Tulasi Plant {Ocimiim sanctum). 



(Plate Xo. 044.) 

 {Kan. Tulasi. Mai. Siva Tulasi. Tarn., Tel. Tulasi. San. Krishnamula.) 



This is a nice little plant which can be seen in front of most 

 Hindu houses. It is a symbol of chastity and modesty. Its 

 structure is very much the same as that of Tumbe. The lips of 

 the small purple flower are, however, a little different. The 

 lower lip is narrow and small, whereas the upper lip is four-lobed, 

 and the stamens project outside. 



The aroma so characteristic of the plant is due to the presence 

 of an ethereal oil secreted by small glandular hairs scattered over 

 the surface of the stems and leaves. The greater part of this oil, 

 however, is retained by the plant in tiny casks, as it were, in 

 which it is stored at the time of its most vigorous growth to be 

 in readiness for use at a time when the supply of food does not 



