610 VERBENACE^. (VERYAIN FAMILY.) 



2. VERBENA, L. Vervain, 



Calyx tubular, 5-ribbed, 5-tootlied, not changing in fruit. Corolla 

 funnel-shaped with straight or incurved tube, spreading, somewhat 

 2-lipped, unequally 5-lobed limb. Stamens included ; anthers ovate j 

 with nearly parallel cells, and connective not spurred. Ovary \vith 

 four, 1-seeded cells, and short-bifid style. Fruit included, separating 

 into 4 pyrenes — Herbs with minute, spiked flowers. 



1, V. officinali§, L. If .3 to 1, paniculate above, scabridulous 

 at angles. Leaves oblong to oblong-lanceolate, coarsely dentate, incis- 

 ed, lobed, or lyratc-innnatijid, contracted into a short petiole. Spikes 

 .05 to .2 long, slender ; corolla lilac, with tube exserted — May to 

 September — Roadsides and waste places ; common. 



2. V. §upiiia, L. .3 to .4, hispidulous, canescent, branching 

 from base, ascending or decumbent. Leaves petioled, tlie lowest oblong, 

 incised, soon withering, the rest ovate, hipinnatisect into ovate-oNong, en- 

 tire or dentate lolules. Spikes alar and tenninal, solitary, at first dense, 

 then elongated to .05 long; corolla blue, with slightly exserted tube 

 — Summer — Sandy and clayey inundated places ; Leja ; central and 

 northern Palestine ; middle Lebanon : Antioch. 



Var. minor. Leaves less dissected. Spikes short, .02 to .05 

 long — Inundated field, Akherdagh ; 2000 m. 



* * Lifioreacence centrifugal, of 2-Z-chotomous axillary cymes, arranged in- 

 inte7TUpted, 2^cinicled splices. 



Calyx short-campanulate, 5-toothed. Corolla-tube short, with 

 oblique, o-cleft, somewhat bilabiate limb, the anterior lip longer. ■ 

 Stamens distant, exserted, with distinct, somewhat divergent anther- 

 cells. Ovary with four, 1-seeded cells, and short, bifid style. Drupe 

 dry — Shrubs, with opposite, digitate leaves. 



V. Ag;iiu§ €a§tus, L. ^ El-Ghdr. HashUhat-Abu-Shih. 1 to 2 

 or more ; branches obtusely quadrangular, woolly, ending in ar broad 

 panicle. Leaves long-petioled, digitately 5-7-parted into lanceolate, 

 acuminate, nearly entire leaflets, with tapering base and short petioles. 

 Cymes compact, nearly sessile, forming somewhat remote, long-spiked 

 whorls. ; bracts minute or ; calyx-teeth broad-triangular, obtuse, one- 

 third as long as tube ; ^orolla lilac, thrice as long as calyx, tube ex- 

 serted ; drupe spherical, .002 in diameter, a little longer than calyx — 

 June to September — Banks of streams ; common between- 400 and 

 -1- 400 m. A decoction of it used for colic ; also as a yellow dye.' 



* * * Cymes small, capitate, nearly ternate at iipper axils, and terminal,. 

 sliort-p)eduncled. 



4. AVICENIVIA, L. Avicennia. 



Calyx short. 5-parted into ovate, imbricated lobes. Corolla tube 

 short, cylindrical, straight, limb spreading, nearly equally 4-cleft. 

 Filaments 4, short, anthers somewhat exserted, cells parallel. Ovary 

 imperfectly 4-cclled by means of a central, 4-winged column, cells 

 1-ovulcd, style short, brfid. Capsule large, somewhat fleshy, dehiscent 



