LABIATiE. 37 



GENUS F/.— M E L I S S A. Linn. 



Calyx tubular, with 13 stria;, bilabiate; upper lip 3-tootlied, spreading, 

 the lower 2-toothed, erect. Corolla bilabiate, the tube longer than the 

 calyx, and bent upwards ; upper lip concave, notched, the lower 3-lobed, 

 with the middle lobe rather larger than the others. Stamens 4, con- 

 verging at the apex under the upper lip of the corolla; anther-cells at 

 length diverging at the base, contiguous and united at the apex. 



Aromatic herbs, with stalked, ovate, rugose leaves, and few-flowered 

 verticillasters of white flowers often spotted vn\h. lilac. 



The origin of the name of this genus of plants is from jjiiXiaaa (a bee), or Mel 

 (honey), because bees are fond of it. 



SPECIES I— M E L I S S A OFFICINALIS. Linn. 



Plate JVILIII. 



Eeich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVHI. Tab. MCCLXI. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 3177. 



Stem erect, branched. Leaves broadly oblong-ovate, truncate or 

 cordate at the base, deeply crenate-serrate, rugose. Bracts oval or 

 rhombic-ovate, similar to the leaves ; bracteoles few, elliptical. Verti- 

 cillasters shortly stalked, few-flowered, distant, sub-secund. Corolla 

 half as long again as the calyx. 



By roadsides and hedge-banks. Naturalised in many places in 

 England. I have gathered it between Cowes and Newjiort, Isle of 

 Wight, at Claygate, and between Kew and Richmond, Surrey, and 

 have seen it from the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Gloucester, and 

 Monmouth, also from Jersey. 



[England.] Perennial. Autumn. 



Rootstock very shortly creepmg, so that the plant grows in compact 

 tufts. Stem stout, straight, much branched, with the branches ascending. 

 Lamina of the leaves 1 to 3 inches long, with the veins deeply im- 

 pressed on the upper surface and prominent beneath. AVhorls separate, 

 commencing above the middle of the stem, and also occupying the 

 greater part of the upper branches. Bracts longer than the whorls, 

 similar to the leavef=, but -svith shorter stalks, and generally more 

 narrowed at the base. Calyx distinctly 2-lipped ; the central tooth of 

 the upper lip deltoid, cuspidate, with the midrib excurrent, the lateral 

 ones with the midrib much nearer the outside than the inner margin, 

 all slightly recurved ; the 2 lower rather longer, broadly triangular- 

 subulate. Corolla white, sometimes spotted with rose, tube slightly 

 curved. Plant bright green, subglabrous, or more rarely hairy, very 

 fragrant, the scent resembling that of Aloysia citriodora. 



