60 LABIATE— LABIATE TRIBE 



20. Skull-cap {Scutellaria). 



1. Common Skull-cap (*S'. galericuldta). — Stem branched; leaves 

 oblong or egg-shaped, and lanceolate, rounded or heart-shaped at the base ; 

 flowers axillary, opposite, all turning one way ; calyx downy ; perennial. 

 This handsome plant is not unfrequent on the borders of rivers and ponds. 

 Its stem is about a foot or a foot and a half high, and from June to Sep- 

 tember its pretty blue flowers are blooming. They are rather large for so 

 small a plant, and the tube of the coi'olla is much longer than the calyx. As 

 soon as the flowers fall off the upper lip of the calyx closes on the lower one, 

 and gives to the seed-vessel the appearance of having a lid. One would 

 wonder, at seeing the four little nuts at the bottom of this closed calyx, how 

 they were to emerge from it, for the contrivance for their dispersion is not 

 at first sight apparent. When, however, the little parchment-like box is well 

 dried, it divides into two distinct portions, and the small seeds destined for 

 the growth of future plants fall out, and are soon buried beneath the soil. 

 It is one of the many marks of design which the thoughtful botanist discovers 

 continually in his observation of the flowers of the field, and from which he 

 gathers a remembrance of God's care and goodness. The Skull-cap received 

 its name from the singular character of its calyx, which, when inverted, 

 resembles a helmet with its visor raised, while in its ordinary state it is not 

 unlike a cup or dish with a handle ; hence its botanic name from scutella. 

 It is also called Hooded Willow-herb. The French term the plant La Toque ; 

 the Ger'mans call it Schildkmut ; the Dutch Helmkmid ; and the Italians, 

 Terzanaria. 



2. Lesser Skull-cap (*S'. minor). — Leaves shortly stalked, blunt, usually 

 quite entire, lowest ones broadly egg-shaped, the intermediate ones egg- 

 shaped, lanceolate, heart-shaped, and sometimes halberd-shaped, at the base, 

 upper and floral ones lanceolate and rounded at the base ; flowers solitary, 

 axillary, and opposite ; corolla with the throat dilated ; calyx downy : 

 perennial. This is a small bushy plant from four to six inches high. The 

 lower leaves are often toothed at the base, and the small flowers, which 

 expand in July and August, are of a dull pinkish-purple colour, almost white, 

 with the lower lip spotted. The plant is iiot common, although pretty 

 generally distributed. 



Order LXIII. VERBENACEiE — VERBENA TRIBE. 



Calyx tubular, not falling off, corolla irregular, with a long tube ; stamens 

 4, 2 longer than the others, rarely 2 only; ovary 2 or 4-celled ; style 1 ; 

 stigma 2-cleft ; seeds 2 or 4, adhering to one another. This order is very 

 nearly allied to the Lahiato'. It consists of trees, shrubs, and herbs, with 

 opposite leaves, and flowers grooving in spikes or heads. The species are rare 

 in Europe, in Northern Asia, and North America ; and in colder latitudes the 

 plants are herbaceous, but are shrubs, or e\en large trees, in tropical regions, 

 where the order is chiefly represented. Our gardens are enlivened by the 

 bi-ight flowers of many of the Verbenas, and the Lemon-phmt has long" been 



