LABIAT.t:. 33 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Annual or Biennial. Summer, 



Autumn. 



Stems branching at the base, otherwise simple or nearly so in annual 

 plants : in biennial ones there is a short rootstock rooting at the nodes, 

 and the stems are frequently considerably branched. Leaves shortly 

 stalked, gradually attenuated into the petiole ; lamina thick, ^ to ^ inch 

 long, with the veins prominent beneath. Bracts all similar to the 

 leaves, but rather smaller and narrower. Pedicels shorter than the calyx. 

 Calyx ^ inch long, with 10 bristly ribs, contracted at the throat, which 

 is closed by white hairs. Corolla about -g inch long, bluish purple, 

 variegated with white on the lower lip, in the middle of which there is 

 a jjurple spot. Fruiting calyx remarkably enlarged at the base below. 

 Nucules dai'k brown, ovoid, slightly compressed. Plant varying much 

 in the degree of hairiness; the undei'side of the leaves generally 

 glabrous except on the veins; stem with woolly spreading or recurved 

 hairs, showing a tendency to confine themselves to 2 strips. 



Basil Thyme. 



Frencb, Calament des Champs. German, Feld-CalamintJie. 



This plant, according to Parkinson, is so called " because tlie smell thereof is so 

 excellent tliat it is fit for a King's liouse." It was a great favovu-ite with the old 

 herbalists. Gerarde enumerates twelve distinct uses to which it may be applied 

 ■n-ithout fear of ftiilure. Among them wc find that " it cui'eth them that are bitten of 

 serpents ; being burned or strewed, it drives serjoents away ; it takes away black and 

 blew spots that come by blows or by beatings, making the skinne faire and white ; 

 but for sueii tilings, seuth Galen, it is better to be laid to greene than dry." 



■ Sub-Genus III.— EU-CALAMINTHA. Gren. and Godr. 



Verticillasters many -flowered, the cymes with a more or less distinct 

 common peduncle. Bracteoles few, minute, lanceolate-subulate, not 

 forming an involucre to the whorls. Calyx tube straight. 



SPECIES III— GALA MINTHA NEPETA. Clair. 



Plate MXLIX. 



Billot, Fl. GaU. et Germ. Exsicc. No. 281. 

 Jord. Obs. sur Plantes nouv. &c. Frag. iv. p. 12. 

 Thymus Nepeta, Sm. Engl. Bot. No. 1414. 

 Melissa Nepeta, Linn. Sp. PL p. 828 (non Herb.). 



Stems with short suberect lateral branches. Leaves ovate or del- 

 toid- or broadly rhombic-ovate, subobtuse, remotely crenate-serrate. 

 Flowers in a long slender sub-unilateral panicle; verticillasters all 

 longer than the bracts, stalked ; peduncle much shorter than the bract, 

 nearly as long as the pedicel of the central flower of the cyme. Calyx 



VOL. VII. F 



