LABIATE TRIBE. 493 



elegant weed, well marked by its large pure white flowers 

 and black stamens. So closely does the foliage of this 

 plant resemble that of the Stinging Nettle, that many 

 .persons are afraid to handle it, supposing it to be a Nettle 

 in flower. The flowers of the latter, however, are green, 

 and so small, that they would be passed unnoticed but 

 for their growing in spiked panicles near the summit of 

 the stem. The square stem of the Dead-nettle is enough 

 to distinguish it at any stage of its growth. Fl. all the 

 summer. Perennial. 



2. L. purpureum (Purple Dead-nettle). Leaves heart 

 or kidney-shaped, blunt, crenate, stalked. A common 

 weed in cultivated ground, and by way-sides, distin- 

 guished by the purple tinge of its foliage, crowded upper 

 leaves, and small purple flowers. Fl. all the summer. 

 Perennial. 



* Allied to L. album is L. maculdtum (Spotted Dead- 

 nettle), distinguished by its leaves, each with a white 

 blotch, and large purple Jiowers : two other species occur 

 in similar situations with L. purpureum, and also re- 

 semble it in habit ; namely, L. amplexicaule (Henbit- 

 nettle), which has round, deeply-cut leaves, of which the 

 upper are sessile : L. incisum (Cut-leaved Dead-nettle), 

 the leaves of which are all deeply cut and stalked ; both 

 of these have small purple flowers. 



13. BETONICA (Betony). 



1. B. officindlis (Wood Betony). The only British 

 species. A common and very pretty woodland plant, 

 about two feet high, bearing an interrupted head or spike 

 of light purple flowers on a long and slender stem. There 

 are always 2 or 3 pairs of oblong crenate sessile leaves 

 beneath the divisions of the spike ; the lower leaves are 

 all stalked. Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



14. STACHYS (Wound-wort). 



1. S. sylvdtica (Hedge Wound- wort). Flowers 6 in a 

 whorl ; stem erect ; leaves heart-shaped, acute, stalked. 



