610 VERBEKACE^. (VERVAIN FAMILY.) 



2. VERBENA, L. Vervain. 



Cal.yx tubuhir, 5-ribbed, 5-tootliecl, not changing in fruit. Corolla 

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

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

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

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

 into 4 pyrcnes — Herbs with minute, spiked flowers. 



1. V. olHcinalis, L. 2f .3to 1, paniculate above, scabridulous 

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

 ed, lohed, or lyrate-jnnnatifid, 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. \. §upiiia) L. .3 to .4, hispidulous, canescent, branching 

 from base, ascending or decumbent. Leaves petioled, the loicest oUong, 

 incised, soon withering, the rest ovate, lixiinnatisect into ovate-ollong, en- 

 tire or dentate lobules. Spikes alar and terminal, 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. luiiBor. Leaves less dissected. Sjiikes short, .02 to .05 

 long — Inundated field, Akherdagh ; 2000 m. 



* * Inflorescence centrifugal, of 2-2-chotomous axillary cymes, arranged in 



interru2)ted, panicled splices. 



3. VITEX, L. ViTEx. 



Calyx short-campauulate, ^ 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 M'ith four, 1-seeded cells, and short, bifid style. Drupe 

 dry — Shrubs, with opposite, digitate leaves. 



V. Ag^iius Ca§tiiis, L. 5 EI-GMt. BasUshat-Abu-SMJi. 1 to 2 

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

 panicle. Leaves long-petioled, digitately u-T-j^arted into lanceolate, 

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

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

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

 third as long as tube ; corolla lilac, thrice as long as calyx, tube ex- 

 serted ; drupe spherical, .003 in diameter, a little longer than calyx — 

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

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



* * * Cymes small, capitate, nearly ternate at iq^'per axils, and terminal,. 



short -pediincled. 



'fl. AVICEl^i^IA, L. AviCENNiA. 



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

 short, cylindrical, straight, limi.> spreading, nearly equally 4-cleft. 

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

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

 1-ovulcd, >^tyle short, bifid. Capsule large, somewhat flesh}', dehiscent 



