LABIATE FAMILY 



389 



2. N. hederdcea (Ground Ivy, Ale-hoof). — A favourite spring 

 flower, with creeping stems; kidney-shaped, crenate, roughish 

 leaves ; and bright blue-purple flowers which grow 3 or 4 together 

 in the axils of the leaves. The whole plant has a strong aromatic 

 odour which, though scarcely fragrant, is far from disagreeable. 

 It is bitter, and was formerly used in brewing, as hops are now ; 

 and in rural districts its leaves are dried and made into tea. At a 

 distance its blossoms are often mistaken for sweet violets. — Fl. 

 March — June. Perennial. 



g. Scutellaria (Skull-cap). — Herbaceous or shrubby plants, 

 with flowers generally solitary or in pairs in the axils ; calyx bell- 

 shaped, 2-lipped, upper lip with a con- 

 cave scale on its back, which finally 

 closes like a lid over the fruit ; corolla 

 much larger than the calyx ; stamens 

 4, parallel, the 2 lower with i -cham- 

 bered anthers. (Name from the 

 Latin scutella, a little dish, from the 

 lid of the calyx.) 



1. S. galericuldta (Greater Skull- 

 cap). — A handsome plant, 12 — 18 in. 

 high, generally branched, with shortly- 

 stalked, oblong-lanceolate, cordate, 

 crenate leaves, and rather large, 

 bright blue flowers in i-sided pairs in 

 the axils ; corolla-tube white inside, 

 much longer than the calyx. Soon 

 after the corolla has fallen off, the 

 upper lip of the calyx closes on the 

 lower, and gives it the appearance of 

 a capsule with a lid ; when the fruit 

 is ripe it opens again. Banks of rivers 

 and ponds j frequent. — Fl. July — September. Perennial. 



2. S. minor (Lesser Skull-cap). — A much smaller, more slender 

 little plant, only 4 — 8 in. high, with subsessile, ovate, obtuse 

 leaves ; and small, pale pink flowers, with a calyx like that of the 

 preceding species. — Boggy places ; not common, except in the 

 west of England. — Fl. July — October. Perennial. 



10. Prunella (Self-heal). — Small, hairy plants with their 

 flowers^ in whorls of about 6, collected into dense, terminal heads 

 with 2 broad, rounded, leafy bracts beneath each whorl; calyx 

 sub-campanulate, 2-lipped, flattened, and closed when in fruit ; 

 stamens 4, parallel, all with two-chambered anthers and forked 



NEPETA hederAcea {Groutid Ivy), 



