LABIATE. 471 



order Gymnospermia of his Didynamous class. They are natives 

 chiefly of temperate regions. Lindley mentions 125 genera, including 

 2350 species. Examples Mentha, Salvia, Melissa, Lamium, Teu- 

 crium, Scutellaria. 



967. The plants of this order are in general fragrant and aromatic, 

 and none of them are poisonous or injurious. Scarcely any are used 

 for ordinary food, although many form grateful condiments. Their 

 leaves contain receptacles of volatile oil, and many of them furnish a 

 stearoptin resembling camphor. Medicinally, many of them are used 

 as carminatives. The species of Mentha yield volatile oils. M. Piperita, 

 Peppermint, is used as a powerful diffusible stimulant in cases of colic 

 and gastrodynia, The oil is procured by distillation with water, and, 

 when dissolved in rectified spirit, it forms the essence of Peppermint. 

 Mentha viridis, Spearmint, is used in the same way as Peppermint ; 

 while M. Pulegium, Penny-royal, is employed as a pectoral and anti- 

 spasmodic. Lavandula vera (L. spica, officinalis, and angustifolia of 

 authors) yields the best oil of Lavender ; while L. latifolia furnishes 

 Spike-oil. Like the other volatile oils of the Labiata?, oil of Lavender 

 consists of a fluid oil, or ElaBoptin, and a solid crystalline substance, or 

 Stearoptin, analogous to camphor. Lavender is a tonic, stimulant, 

 and carminative. The flowering tops of Rosmarinus officinalis, Eose- 

 mary, furnish an oil which has similar properties. It is used much in 

 perfumery, and enters into the composition of Eau de Cologne. Oils 

 of the same nature are procured from Origanum vulgare, Wild Mar- 

 joram, 0. Najorana, Sweet Marjoram, Melissa officinalis, common 

 Balm, and Marrubium vulgare, white Horehound. Some consider the 

 Hyssop of Scripture, im, as being Hyssopus orientalis (H. qfficinalis, 

 var. angustifolius) ; but Eoyle looks upon it as one of the Caper plants 

 (Capparis cegyptiacd). Plectranthus graveolens of some, Pogostemon 

 suavis or P. Patchouly of others, is the Patchouli plant of the East 

 Indies, which is used as a perfume. It is called in India pucha pat. 

 It yields a volatile oil of a yellowish-green colour. Lycopus virginicus, 

 Bugle-weed, and L. europcem, Gipsey-wort, are used as astringents 

 and sedatives. Many Labiates, such as Thyme (Thymus), Mint (Men- 

 tha), Sage (Salvia), Basil (Ocymum), Savoury (Satureid), &c., are used 

 as culinary vegetables, more particularly to flavour sauces and dishes. 

 The species of Salvia are distinguished by having only two stamens in 

 consequence of the abortion of the rest, and by their distractile con- 

 nective, which separates the anther lobes (fig. 333). In the episperm 

 of the seeds of the species of Salvia there are beautiful spiral cells, the 

 fibres of which, like those of Colloniia, uncoil when moistened with 

 water, and form an interesting microscopic object. Salvia officinalis, 

 common sage, has been used in the form of tea as a stomachic. What 

 are called Sage-apples, are galls produced by the puncture of insects 

 on Salvia pomifera. The roots of Ocymum tuberosum are said to be 



