LABIAT.'K. 49 



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



Rootstock very slender, extensively creeping. Stem 2 to 6 inches 

 high, unless when growing among long grass, in which case it sometimes 

 attains to 1 foot or more in length. Leaves ^ to 1 inch long, the 

 lower ones broader that the others, and often with a single tooth at the 

 base, thus showmg a tendency to become hastate. Pedicels generally 

 about as long as the calyx, which is rather shorter in proportion to its 

 breadth than that of S. galericulata. Flowers about f inch long, 

 pale purplish pink ; lower lij) of the corolla variegated with white and 

 rose colour. Nucules similar to those of S. galericulata, but smaller. 

 Plant subglabrous, with the angles of the stem, leaves, and flowering 

 calyx finely pubescent. 



Lesser Skull-cap. 



French, Toquo nalna. German, Ideiner Schiklirager. 



GENUS AT.— MELITTIS. Linn. 



Calyx short, subbilabiate, membranous, enlai'grng in fruit ; upper 

 lip broad, with 3 very short teeth; lower lip with 2 large teeth; all 

 the teeth erect, and -wnthout spinous points. Corolla bilabiate; upper 

 lip erect, orbicular, slightly vaulted; lower lip spreading, 3-lobed. 

 Stamens 4; filaments parallel under the upper lip of the coi'olla; 

 anthers approximate in pairs ; cells divaricate, those of each pair of 

 anthers forming a cross, each cell opening by a separate longitudinal 

 cleft. Nucules smooth, rounded at the summit. 

 ■ An herb with large showy flowers, solitary or 2 or 3 together in the 

 axils of bracts, which are undistinguishable from the leaves. 



The origin of the name of this genus is the Greek word niXirra (melifta), a bee, on 

 account of the honey it produces, or from mel, honey. 



SPECIES I.— M ELITTIS MELISSOPHYL LUM. Lhm. 



Plates MLXn. MLXIII. 



EekJi. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVIII. Tab. MCGII. Fig. 1. 

 Billot, FL Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 434. 



The only known species. 



In woods and bushy places. Rather rare, and confined to the south- 

 western counties; extending east to Sussex and mainland Hants, and 

 north to Somerset, Oloucester, and Cardigan ; reported also from 

 Glamorgan and Pembroke, but its occurrence hi these two counties i^ 

 not (so far as I am aware) confirmed by recent authorities. 



England. Perennial. Spring, 



VOL. VII. g 



