LABIAT.E. 35 



or exceeding it; 3 upper teeth triangular, ascending- recurved, the 

 2 lower twice as long as the upper, slightly curved upwards, tri- 

 angular, gradually acuminated into long subulate points, all ciliated 

 with long hairs ; throat closed with hairs, which are nearly concealed 

 within the tube. Corolla about twice as long as the calyx teeth; 

 middle lobe of the lower lip larger than the others, longer than broad, 

 separate from the lateral lobes. 



Var. a, genuina. 



Plate ML. 



Ttekh. Ic. PL Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVIII. Tab. MCCLXXVII. Fig. 1. 

 C. officinalis menthsefolia. Reich, fil. Vol. XVIII. p. 44. 



Peduncles considerably shorter tlian the pedicel of the central flower 

 of the cyme. 



Var. 3, Briggsii. 



PI.X. MLI. . ^ ^^ , 



Eeich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVni. Tab. MCCLVIII. Fig. 2.<y '^ ^, 



C. officinalis ascendens, Beich. fil. p. 44. , ^ ,j ''-{"i * 4j/0**^ /^t^'l^^ 



Pedu.ncles in the lower verticillasters equalling or exceeding the U^'^'^ 

 pedicel of the central floAver of the cyme. 



On hedge-banks, borders of fields, by roadsides, and on dry 

 banks, particularly in chalky and gravelly soils. Rather rare, but gene- 

 rally distributed over England and Ireland. Var. j3 I have seen only 

 from Yealm Bridge and Sea Mill Bridge, Devonshire, whence it was 

 sent me by Mr. T. R. Archer Briggs. 



England, Scotland. Perennial. Late Summer, Autumn. 



Rootstock shortly creeping, woody, the stems not produced in annular 

 tufts as in C. Nepeta, but either solitary or in compact tufts, slightly 

 flexuous, 1 to 3 feet high, with a few branches, the lower ones ftom 

 about the middle of the stem, the upper ones rapidly decreasmg in size. 

 Leaves stalked ; lamina 1 to 2 inches long, less deeply crenate-seri-ate 

 than in C. Nepeta; cjanesless distinctly forked, more dense; calyx bent 

 upon the pedicel, especially in fruit; the lower teeth more slender and 

 more gradually acuminated ; corolla rather larger, white, speckled 

 with lilac on the lower lip, and often with a pale purple shade on the 

 tube ; plant darker green, with longer and more bristly hairs upon the 

 calyx. Leaves and stein hairy, the hairs on the upper part of the 

 latter short and recurved, or elongate and spreading. 



The specimens named " Melissa Calamintha " and " Melissa Nepeta" 

 in the Linnean Herliarium are both Calamintha Nepeta. 



Var. fi is a larger plant, more bristly-hairy, and with the lower 



F 2 



