ORIGANUM. 



An erect, hairy, perennial herbaceous plant, with a stem from 6 inches 

 to 2 feet in height. Leaves stalked, broad-ovate, obtuse, subserrate, 

 rounded at the base, green on both sides. Spikes oblong, or cylin- 

 drical, clustered, in corymbose panicles. Bracts ovate, obtuse, coloured, 

 at least half as long again as the calyx. Bentham. This plant yields what 

 is called oil of thyme in the shops, a common remedy for the pain of 

 toothach in carious teeth. It is frequently used, mixed with olive oil, 

 as a stimulating liniment against baldness, in rheumatic complaints, and 

 against sprains and bruises. 



1015. Thymus vulgaris Linn, is fragrant and stimulating ; its 

 essential oil is administered to remove flatulence. 



1016. Thymus Serpyllum Linn, and many others have the 

 same properties. 



HYSSOPUS. 



Calyx tubular, 15-nerved, equal or oblique at the orifice, with 

 5 equal teeth ; naked inside. Corolla with the tube as long as 

 the calyx ; the upper lip flat, erect, emarginate, the lower spread- 

 ing, trifid, with the middle lobe larger. Stamens 4, protrud- 

 ing, diverging, didynamous. Anthers with linear divaricating 

 cells. 



1017. H. officinalis Linn. sp. 796. Jacq. austr. t. 502. Ben- 

 tham lab. 356. H. angustifolius Bieberst. fl. taur. cauc. ii. 38. 



iii. 389. H. orientalis Willd. enum. ii. 600 South of Europe, 



and centre of Asia. (Hyssop.) 



The whole plant nearly or quite smooth ; or in some varieties villous. 

 Stem woody at bas,e, spreading, very much branched. Branches rod- 

 like, 1-2 feet long. Leaves sessile, usually oblong-linear, or lanceolate, 

 sometimes elliptical, sometimes narrower, green on each side, raiher 

 thick, 1-ribbed underneath. Whorls consisting of from 6 to 15 flowers, 

 l-sided, in a terminal spike. Floral leaves like those of the stem but 

 smaller. Outer bracts lanceolate-linear, acute, scarcely shorter than 

 the calyx. Corolla blueish-purple, rarely white. A stimulating sto- 

 machic, considered serviceable in hysterical complaints and in relieving 

 flatulence. 



1818. Cunila Mariana Linn, is, according to Barton, employed 

 beneficially in slight fevers and colds, with a view to excite per- 

 spiration. 



HEDEOMA. 



Calyx ovate, tubular, rather gibbous at the bottom on the 

 under side, with 13 strias ; upper lip 3-toothed, lower bifid ; 

 throat villous. Corolla with the tube as long as the calyx, or a 

 little longer ; the upper lip erect and flat, the lower spreading, 

 trifid, with nearly equal lobes, or the middle one rather broader, 

 entire or emarginate. Stamens 2, ascending ; cells of the anthers 

 diverging. 



1019. H. pule^ioides Pers. synops. ii. 131. Benih. lab. 366. 

 491 



