LABIATE. 39 



acute, coarsely serrate or inciso-serrate. Verticillasters many-flowered, 

 collected into short dense racemes terminating the stem and branches. 

 Bracteoles rather longer than the pedicels. Calyx ovate-oblong, 

 slightly curved, pubescent ; teeth lanceolate, attenuated into subulate 

 points, the 3 upper ones longer than the others. Corolla scarcely twice 

 as long as the calyx, densely pubescent on the outside ; tube suddenly 

 dilated at the throat; middle lobe of the lower lip transversely subor- 

 bicular, concave, the margins dentate. Plant wholly hoary-pubescent. 

 In hedge-banks, borders of fields, and dry banks, especially in chalky 

 and gravelly soil. Rather rare, and becoming scarcer towards the North. 

 Generally distributed throughout England. Very local in Scotland, 

 where it is said to occur near Gateheugh, Berwickshire; Craignethin, 

 Lanarkshire ; and between Culross and Kincardine, Perthshire, in all 

 which stations it is probably not native. Rare, but widely distributed 

 in Ireland. 



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



Stems 1 to 3 feet high, erect, stout, branched ; with spreadmg 

 ascendincr branches. Lamina of the leaves 1 to 3 inches long-, in the 

 upper ones narrower and moi'e acute. Verticillasters, in the lower 

 ones stalked, the upper nearly sessile and approximate, all many- 

 flowered, arranged in spikelike racemes collected into panicles. Pedicels 

 shorter than the calyx. Calyx ^ inch long, dilated at the base in front 

 (especially in fruit), strongly ribbed, gi'cen, covered with white pubes- 

 cence; teeth diverging, sometimes purple at the tips, the uppermost 

 one the longest. Corolla scarcely ^ inch long, white, the lip dotted 

 with lilac, tube scarcely exceeding the calyx teeth, cui'ved. Nucules 

 rather large, oblong-ovoid, slightly compressed, dark bi'own, rough 

 with very minute tubercles. Plant hoary grey, especially on the stem, 

 underside of the leaves and inflorescence, where the pubescence is very 

 dense. 



Cat-mint. 



French, Chatavie commune. German, Gemeines Katzenkraut. 



The common name of this plant, says Gerarde, is " because cats are very much 

 dehghted herewith ; for the smell of it is so pleasant unto them, that they rub them- 

 selves upon it, and wallow or tumble in it, and also feed on the branches very 

 greedily :" which singular statement the good old herbalist copied from Dodoens, 

 b. 1, c. 4, p. 14, without perhaps ascertaining its truth. It is certain, however, that 

 its scent is very grateful to these animals, and they will destroy and tear any 

 plant of it in a garden, in tire same manner as valerian. Miller records an old saying 

 likewise applicable to valerian : " If you set it, the cats will eat it ; if you sow it, the 

 cats won't know it." Probably originating in the impossibility of removing the plant 

 without more or less bruising the leaves and emitting the scent. 



