MENTHA.] LABIATE. 279 



temp, regions ; species about 28. ETTM. The old Greek name. Species 



veiy variable, and often difficult to discriminate. 



* Whorls in terminal spikes ; bracts minute. Throat of calyx glabrous. 



+ Leaves all sessile, or tJie lower only petioled. 

 1. M. sylves'tris, L. ; leaves broadly or narrowly oblong-obovate or 



lanceolate subacute serrate smooth above hoary beneath, spike continuous, 



calyx-teeth lanceolate, corolla hairy glabrous within. Horse-mint. 



Moist waste places, rare, from Moray and Dumbarton southwards ; a doubtful 

 native of Ireland ; fl. Aug. -Sept. Stem 2-3 ft., robust, tomentose with white 

 hairs. Leaves 1-3 in., f-2in. broad, rounded or cordate at the base. Spikes 

 1-3 in., ^- in. broad, dense ; bracts lanceolate ; bracteoles subulate ; 

 pedicels hairy. Corolla lilac, about fa in. diam. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, 

 Siberia, W. Asia to N.W. India. 



VAR. 1, sylves'tris proper; leaves oblong-lanceolate acute rounded at the base 

 slightly hairy above hoary beneath, spikes slender. VAR. 2, >iemoro'sa,'Willd. 

 (sp.) ; leaves broadly oblong acute rounded at the base slightly hairy above 

 tomentose beneath, spike stouter. VAR. 3, mollis' slma, Bork. (sp.); leaves 

 broadly ovate acute subcordate at the base finely serrate hoary above felted 

 beneath, spikes stout. Rare. VAR. 4, alopecuroi'des, Hull (sp.); leaves 

 broad large coarsely serrate subcordate at the base somewhat wrinkled above 

 very hairy beneath, spikes short stout, bracts broader. Kent, Essex, Nor- 

 folk, &c., rare. The transition state to M. rotnndifolia. 



'2. M. rotundifo'lia, L.; leaves broadly ovate-oblong very obtuse 

 crenate much wrinkled above shaggy or densely tomentose beneath, spikes 

 interrupted, calyx hairy teeth subulate, corolla hairy glabrous within. 

 Wet places, S. of England, indigenous ; a denizen in the N., Watson ; not found 

 in Scotland ; rare in Ireland ; fl. Aug. -Sept. Habit of M. sylvestris, but 

 usually much branched. Leaves often densely woolly below. Spikes dense, 

 cylindric. Flowers white or pink. DISTRIB. Europe from Belgium south- 

 wards, N. Africa, Siberia, W. Asia. A garden escape in N. America. 



M. VIR'IDIS, L. ; glabrous or nearly so, leaves oblong-lanceolate subacute 

 somite smooth above, spikes slender, corolla glabrous without and within. 

 Spear-mint. 



Wet places in England and Scotland, rare ; indigenous in the N. of England, 

 Baker; a denizen, Watson; not a native of Ireland; fl. Aug. -Sept. 

 Probably a cultivated form of M, sylvestris, easily distinguished by its 

 pungent smell. DISTRIB. Cultivated for culinary purposes. 



ft Leaves petioled. 

 3. M. piperi'ta, Huds. ; glabrous, leaves ovate or oblong-lanceolate acute 



serrate upper smaller, spikes cylindric interrupted below, pedicels and 



iiowers glabrous or very sparingly hispid. Peppermint. 



Damp places from Aberdeen southwards and in Ireland ; a doubtful native, 

 Watson ; fl. Aug.-Sept. Usually smaller and more slender than the pre- 

 ceding. Leaves 1-4 in., acute or obtuse at the base, coarsely serrate, smooth 

 above, rarely sparingly hairy on the nerves below, uppermost sometimes 

 bracteiform. Calyx often red. DISTRIB. Europe ; introd. in the N. U. States. 

 Probably a garden form of M. aqiuitica, as suggested by Bentham. 



VAR. 1, o/(dna'lis, Hull (sp.); leaves acute or rounded at the base, spikes 



