H4 



BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS 



Common Calamint — Calamintha officinalis 



(Plate LXXI) 



This is a widely distributed plant, but is less 

 common in Britain than on the Continent. The 

 fibrous root thickens considerably in loose soil. 

 The stem is upright or creeping, quadrangular, 

 and clothed with straight hairs. In the angles 

 of the leaves rise short infertile offshoots, and the 

 stem generally divides into from 3 to 5 flowering 

 branches. The leaves are opposite, stalked, oval, 

 and serrated, except at the base and tip. They 

 are grass-green, strongly veined, hairy on both 

 surfaces, and thickly covered with impressed glands 

 beneath. The loose, leafy flower-heads, in which 

 the stem and branches terminate, are formed of 

 clusters of 3, 5, or more flowers on the same 

 level. The calyx is generally reddish brown, 

 covered with very short down. The upper lip is 

 curved upwards, and has large oval teeth ; the 

 lower is formed of two long pointed teeth, and is 

 curved slightly inwards. The hollow of the calyx 

 is slightly hairy. The corolla is pale pink, shading 



into bluish, with purple spots at the base of the 

 lower lip. The upper lip is straight, and deeply 

 emarginate at the extremity. The carpels are 

 globular, brown, smooth, with two shallow cavities 

 at the axis. The plant varies considerably in 

 size, sometimes exceeding 2 feet in height ; and 

 the leaves also vary in size and denticulation. 



Hemp Nettle — Galeopsis pubescens 

 (Plate LXXII) 



This is not a British plant, but is common in 

 Central Europe. There are, however, several 

 British species of the same genus. The stem is 

 clothed with appressed down, and beneath the 

 joints it is expanded and bristly. The leaves are 

 broad, oval, and pointed ; the tubes of the corolla 

 are longer than the calyx ; the middle lobe of the 

 lower lip is almost quadrangular, smooth, finely 

 notched, slightly emarginate, and marked with two 

 yellow spots before the tube. 



There are several British species of Dead-nettle 

 {Lamium), with white, red, or yellow flowers. 



