DICOTYLEDONES— COROLLIFLORitE 401 



and. formed of two carpels, each of which has 2 deep lobes, with 

 1 erect ovule in each lobe ; style 1, basilar; stigma Ibifid. Fi'uit 

 composed of from 1 to 4 achaenia, enclosed by the persistent 

 calyx. Seed erect, with little or no albumen; embryo erect, 

 with flat cotyledo7is ; radicle inferior. 



Diagnosis. — Herbs or shrubby plants, with opposite exstipu- 

 late leaves. Flowers irregular, unsymmetrical. Calyx persis- 

 tent. Corolla usually more or less bilabiate, with the odd lobe 

 anterior. Stamens usually 4 and then commonly didynamous, 

 or rarely of equal length ; or only 2 by abortion. Ovary deeply 

 4-lobed ; style 1, basilar ; stigma bifid. Fruit consisting of from 

 1 to 4 achgenia, enclosed by the persistent calyx. Seed erect, with 

 little or no albumen ; radicle inferior. 



Distribution arid Numbers. — Chiefly natives of temperate 

 regions. Illustrative Genera : — Mentha, Linn. ; Salvia, Linn. ; 

 Origanum, Liyin. ; Lamium, Linn. There are nearly 2,600 

 species. 



Projjer'ties and Uses. — The plants of this large order are 

 entirely free from any deleterious qualities. The^' abound in 

 volatile oil, and are therefore commonly aromatic, carminative, 

 and stimulant. All labiate plants also contain more or less of a 

 bitter extractive matter, and many of them possess an astrin- 

 gent iirinciple, hence they are frequently tonic and stomachic. 

 Several are used in perfumery on account of their agreeable 

 odours ; and many are employed by the cook for flavourino-, 

 such as Thymus vulgaris (Garden Thyme), Thymus citriodorus 

 (Lemon Thyme), Salvia officijialis (Sage), Origanum vulgare 

 (Marjoram), Majorana hortensis (Sweet Marjoram), Satureia 

 montana (Winter Savor j), Satureia hortensis (Summer Savory), 

 &c. The fleshy underground stems of Stachys jJalustris and of 

 a species of Ocymum are edible. 



Anomalous Order. 



Order 212. Plantaginace^, the Ribwort Order. — Cha- 

 racter. — Herbs, generally without aerial stems. Leaves com- 

 monly ribbed and radical. Flowers usually in spikes and perfect, 

 or rarely solitary, and sometimes unisexual. Calyx persistent, 

 4-partite, imbricate. Corolla dry and membranous, persistent, 

 4-partite. Stamens equal in number to the divisions of the 

 corolla, and alternate with them ; filaments long and slender ; 

 anthers versatile. Ovary simple, but sometimes spuriously 2- or 

 4-celled from the prolongation of processes from the placenta • 

 style and stigma entire, or the latter is rarely cleft. Capsule 



VOL. II. D D 



