MONARDA DIDYMA- OSWEGO TEA. 



107 



mic waves follow each other In rapid succession, without the in- 

 terval of time that usually takes place between them. In other 

 plants, where more decided lines are drawn between these suc- 

 cessive wave-growths, there is little resemblance between a leaf 

 and a calyx, or calyx or corolla ; but in Monarda didyma we see 

 how gradually the slighdy petioled leaves become sessile, then 

 how gradually the leaves turn to bracts, as seen in the heads of 

 Fig. I, and even these are colored as the corollas are. We may 

 thus learn from these studies that decision and indecision in 

 growth-waves have much to do with the ultimate character of a 

 plant. 



The genus to which our plant belongs was named Monarda 

 in honor of Nicolas Monardes, a Spanish botanist, born at Se- 

 ville, who died in 1578. So many of the early known American 

 plants, which were necessarily first examined by Europeans, were 

 named for persons in no way connected with the history of any- 

 thing American, that it is quite a pleasure to meet with an instance 

 in which the case is different. Monardes, we are told, was not only 

 a good botanist, but, in the language of Dr. Gray, he was also 

 the "author of many tracts upon medicinal and other useful 

 plants, especially those of the New World." One of these 

 treatises was on the citron, orange, etc., and was published in 

 1564. Our plant has had several synonyms, of which Jlfonarda 

 purpurea is probably the best known. Its common name is Os- 

 wego Tea, and here and there it is also called Bee-Balm, Ac- 

 cording to Barton, the first of these two names was given to the 

 plant because the Indians, who call it O-gee-che, " Fiery or 

 Flaming Flower," make tea of the fioiuers. We may mention, 

 in this connection, that an old English writer says the Oswego 

 Tea is " not only a very ornaniental plant in gardens, but the 

 scent of the leaves is very refreshing and agreeable to most peo- 

 ple, and some are very fond of the tea made with the young 

 leaves y 



The introduction of our plant into England is probably due to 

 John Bartram, who called it Monarda Oszuegoensis. In a letter 



