Wastes and waysides in summer 



199 



Calamint in general appearance, growing from one to three feet 

 high, and bearing white flowers in July and August. Its leaves 

 are stalked, ovate, acute, toothed or crenate, of a pale green 

 below ; and the flowers are sliortly-stalked, in few-flowered, axillary 

 whorls. 



The Black Horehound {Ballota nigra), shown on Plate III, Fig. 2, 

 is a coarse, hairy plant, with an unpleasant odour, commonly seen 

 on roadsides and 

 wastes, flowering 

 continuously from 

 the beginning of 

 June to September 

 or October. Its erect 

 stem often exceeds 

 three feet in height, 

 and branches more 

 or less freely. The 

 purple flowers are in 

 dense clusters in the 

 axils of the leaves, 

 and beneath them 

 are several narrow, 

 stiff bracts. The 

 calyx is about a third 

 of an inch long, green 

 or purple-green in 

 colour, with ten pro- 

 minent ribs, and five 

 broad teeth which 



usually terminate abruptly in a fine, stiff point. The corolla is of 

 a purple colour, twice as long as the calyx, with an arched, oval 

 upper lip ; and a sUghtly longer lower lip of three segments, the 

 middle one of which is the largest. 



Our last example of the wayside Labiates is the Hedge Wound- 

 wort [Stachi/s sylcaiicM) — a very abundant and pretty plant that 

 grows most luxuriantly in damp, shady places, such as the borders 

 of ditches, the edges of woods, and shady banks and hedgerows. 

 Its square stem is soHd and stout, straight and erect, and more 

 or less branched. All the leaves are stalked, the upper ones being 

 narrow and entire, while the lower are large, ovate or cordate, 

 with a crenate or toothed edge and a very pointed apex. The 



The Hedge Woundwort. 



