50 



several parts of France and Germany, whereas C. grandiflora, as there 

 stated, is a decidedly mountain species, differing considerably from 

 the other in specific characters. 



In my memoir just referred to, I have laid down the characters of 

 C. sylvatica as distinguishing it from our more common British spe- 

 cies, C. officinalis and C. Nepeta, and which characters I now repeat, 

 as some of your readers may not possess the first volume of the ' Phy- 

 tologist.' Those of C. officinalis are likewise added, for the sake of 

 comparison. 



Calamintha sylvatica. Root rather slender, much branched and 

 fibrous, sending out one or more underground runners or stolons. 

 Stem taller than in the next, erect or ascending, lax and slender, with 

 few, long, distant, mostly simple and nearly erect branches. Leaves 

 large, 2 — 3 inches long, dull green but not hoary, truly ovate, acute 

 and sharply serrated, slightly attenuated at base, a few of the lower- 

 most bluntish, with distant shallow serratures : when rubbed, the 

 leaves emit a strong and pure odour of peppermint. Cymes (verticil- 

 lasters) many-flowered, the lower ones on very long peduncles, which 

 are mostly curved upwards. Calyx coloured (purplish), the upper 

 teeth erect or recurved, and rather longer and more slender than in 

 C. officinalis. Corolla large, nearly an inch long, pale lilac or peach- 

 blossom, variously spotted on the lip and throat wdth white and crim- 

 son, its lower lip in three rounded shallow segments, of which the 

 middle one is scarcely larger than the two lateral, and so broad as 

 partly to cover the latter or be covered by them, concealing the sinus 

 that separates the three divisions, which thus appear united, as they 

 do in the wild basil (Clinopodium vulgare, Linn.). Nuts as in the fol- 

 lowing, but rather larger. 



Calamintha officinalis. Root stout, woody, branched and fibrous, 

 but without runners. Stems erect or ascending, much branched and 

 bushy, the branches patent or spreading, usually simple. Leaves 

 small, an inch long at most, of a greyish or hoary green, and with a 

 bitterish aromatic odour, but not that of peppermint, and far less 

 agreeable than in the last ; ovato-deltoid or somewhat rhomboidal, 

 occasionally nearly orbicular, broader than long, at least all the lower 

 and larger, which approach somewhat in shape to the leaves of the 

 Lombardy poplar ; rounded or subtruncate and entire at the base, be- 

 yond that distantly and shallowly crenate- serrate, often so faintly as 

 to appear as if quite entire throughout ; more or less evidently point- 



