24 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Var. ^, erecta. 

 Plate MXLII. 



Flowering stem stout, erect, or sub-erect, straight, not rooting at the 

 nodes. 



On moist heaths and commons, and by the sides of pools. Sparingly 

 distributed over England, becoming rare in the north. In Scotland it 

 has been gathered near the church of Bimie, Elgin, but certainly 

 introduced. It appears to be widely but locally spread over Ireland. 

 Var, ^ I have seen from Great Island, Co. Cork, collected by Mr. 

 Carroll. 



England, [Scotland,] Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, Autumn. 



Stems 3 inches to 1 foot long, with the barren shoots 8j:)reading 

 above ground, and leafy. Leaves rather thick, ^ to 1 inch long, gra- 

 dually attenuated into the short petioles. Verticillasters globular, 

 often as long as the recurved bracts, diminished in size towards the 

 apex of the stem. Flowers i inch long, with the limb purplish rose. 

 Calyx reddish purple, with 10 strong ribs, varying in the length of the 

 hairs with which it is closed ; in fruit contracted above the muscles, 

 and closed with white hairs, the upper teeth then slightly recurved. 

 Stamens very long. Plant deep green, with a powerful agreeable odour, 

 vaiying much in pubescence, being sometimes nearly glabrous, at 

 others densely clothed with white woolly hairs. 



In var. /3, the stem is much stouter, -with short branches, with the 

 barren shoots produced only at the base ; the verticillasters are more 

 numerous and closer together ; the calyx teeth rather longer and more 

 acute. 



Penny-royal. 



rrench, Menthe pmdiot. German, Polei. 

 Tliig species of mint is supposed to have been the ■y\i'i-)(wi' of the ancient Greeks, 

 and the Puleium or Pulegium of the Romans. It has been supposed to drive away 

 fleas ; hence its Roman name and its modern specific name. Dr. Prior tells us that 

 its common name, Penny-royal, comes from the Latin Pulegium regium, through tho 

 Dutch Poley, in old herbals called Puliol-royal. It is also called rudJing Grass, fi-om 

 beinf used to make stuffings for meat, formerly called puddings. It is sometimes 

 known to the countiy people as "Run by the ground" and "Lurk in the ditch," 

 from its manner of growth. Gerarde speaks of it as being found abundantly on a 

 common " at Mile End, near London, about tho holes and ponds thereof, in sundrio 

 places, from whence poore women bring plenty to sell in London markets." The 

 whole herb contains an essential oil, resembling in properties that of other mints, but 

 less powerful. In foi-mer times it was highly esteemed as a medicine. PHny, by 

 whom it is called Pulegium, gives a long list of disorders for which it was a supposed 

 remedy, and especially recommends" it for hanging in sleeping-rooms, it being con- 

 sidered by physicians as more conducive to health than oven roses. We suspect it 

 was in a great measure used as a substitute for ventilation, to cover tho ill odours 



