LABIATAE 



199 



SUm 1 to 2 feet high, branching, smoothish. Leaves % an inch to 3 inches long, 

 tapering to a petiole at base, punctate. Corolla white, often tinged with purpl*. 

 ffuttets triquetrous-cuneate, shorter than the calyx. 

 Hob. Moist, low grounds : frequent. Fl. July. Fr Sept. 



2 2. TUYMEAE : corolla more or Uss bilabiate ; stamens distant, or diverging. 

 a. Fertile stamens 2. 



286. CUffri^A. L. 



[A name borrowed from the ancient Roman Naturalists.] 

 Calyx ovoid-tubular, 10- to 13-nerved, equally 5-toothed, hairy in 

 the throat. Corolla with the upper lip erect, flattish, emarginate ; 

 lower lip spreading, nearly equally 3-lobed. Stamens erect, ex- 

 serted, distant; sterile filaments none. Perennials: cymules corym- 

 bose, axillary and terminal. 



1. C. Mariflna, L. Stems tufted, corymbosely branched ; leaves 

 ovate, serrate, subsessile. 

 MARYLAND CUNILA. Dittany. 



Stems 8 to 12 inches long, erect or ascending, mostly purple. Leaves about an 

 inch long, rounded and often subcordate at base, pellucid-punctate. Pedicels 

 trichotomous, with subulate bracts at base; calyx resinous-dotted; corotta pale 

 purple, nearly twice as long &s the calyx. 

 Hob. Dry, slaty, woodland hills : frequent. Fl. July. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. The infusion of this herb is a popular and pleasant bever- 

 age, in fevers. In the beginning of winter, after a rain, very curious 

 ribbands of ice may often be observed, attached to the base of the 

 stems, produced, I presume, by the moisture from the earth rising 

 in the dead stems by capillary attraction, and then being gradually 

 forced out horizontally, through a slit, by the process of freezing. 

 The same phenomenon has been observed in other plants. See 

 obs. on Helianthemum, p. 27 



b. Fertile stamens 4, more or less didynamous. 



28?. PYCtfAtf'THEMUM, MX. 



[Gr. Pyknos, dense, and Anthemon, a flower; from its dense cymosc heads.] 

 Calyx ovoid-oblong, about 13-nerved, sub-bilabiate, or equally 5- 

 toothed; throat naked. Corolla with the upper Up nearly flat and 

 entire ; lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens distant, the lower pair rather 

 longer; anther-cells parallel. Perennials: floral leave* often whi- 

 tened ; flowers in terminal cymose heads, with many involucre-like 

 bracts. 



f Calyx bilabiate, the 3 upper teeth somewhat united ; leaves petiohte. 



1. P, iiicsiiunii, MX. Leaves ovate-oblong, hoary-pubescent, 

 the upper ones whitened on both sides; cymules compound, pedun- 

 culate, rather loose ; bracts subulate-linear. 

 HOARY PYCNANTHKMUM. Mountain Mint. 



Stem 2 to 4 feet high, mostly several from the same root, branching above, Tery 

 pubescent, especially at summit. Leaves 2 to 3 inches long, sparingly serrate ; 

 petioles %to%&n inch in length. Bracts longer than the calyx, bearded at the 

 points. OalyxJeeth acuminate. Corolla whitish, or pale red, with purple spote. 

 Stamens exserted. Nutlet* hispid at apex. 

 Hob. Woodlands; slaty hills: frequent. JH.July. JV.Sept. 



