WATER MINT 123 



sides. The flower-stalks have bent-back hairs. The whole plant has 

 a strong scent. The corolla is nearly regular. The erect stamens are 

 equal in size. 



Water Mint is 1^-2 ft. high. Flowers can be found between July 

 and September. The plant is a deciduous, herbaceous perennial, pro- 

 pagated by division. 



The small-flowered plants are female and not so common as the 

 hermaphrodite. The anthers mature first, before the stigma. In the 

 latter the tube is 4-5 mm. long, and 2 mm. wide at the mouth, 



WATER MINT (Mentha aquafica, L.) 



otherwise the flower resembles M. arvensis. The corolla forms a 

 bell. Honey is secreted in the ovary, which is enlarged. Honey is 

 not so easily reached as in M. arvensis, but insect visits are more 

 numerous because the plant is taller and the heads are larger and 

 denser. It is visited by Halictus, Ichneumons, Evipis, Ascia, Eristalis, 

 Syritta, Helophilus, Syrphus, Melanostoma, Onesia, Sarcophaga, Musca, 

 Chrysops. 



The nutlets are adapted to fall when ripe around the parent plant, 

 or to be eaten by birds and travel some distance, being thus dispersed 

 by the plant itself or by animals. 



This fragrant plant is peat-loving, growing in wet, moist, peaty 

 soil, or pelophilous, growing on clay soil. 



