304 LABIAT^E. (MINT FAMILY.) 



ovate, blunt ish and pointless. Shady moist places; common, especially north- 

 ward. Aug. Smooth, often purplish, with small capitate clusters of very 

 small flowers. 



2. L,. Europ&US, L. Stem sharply 4-angled (l-3 high), with or 

 without runners from the base ; leaves ovate-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, sinu- 

 ate-toothed or pinnatifid, more or less petiolcd ; whorls many-liowered ; calyx- 

 teeth 5, triangular-lanceolate, tapering to a rigid very sharp point ; nutlets (smooth or 

 glandular-roughened at the top) equalling or exceeding the calyx-tube. (Eu.) 

 Includes several nominal species, among them in our district is 



Var. simiutllS. (L. sinuatus, Benth. L. exaltatus & L. sinuatus, Ell.) 

 Much branched, smooth or smoothish ; runners short or none ; leaves mostly 

 more tapering to both ends than in the European form, varying from cut-toothed 

 to pinnatifid. Common in wet grounds. July, Aug. 



Var. iiitegrifolillS. Stems more simple, often producing slender run- 

 ners; leaves oblong-lanceolate, varying to narrowly lanceolate (L. angustifolius, 

 Nutt, c.), much acuminate at both ends (2' -4' long), sharply serrate. 

 Common westward. 



6. CUNIL.A, L. DITTANY. 



Calyx ovate-tubular, equally 5-toothed, very hairy in the throat. Corolla 2- 

 lipped ; upper lip erect, flattish, mostly notched ; the lower spreading, 3-clcft. 

 Stamens 2, erect, exscrted, distant: no sterile filaments. Perennials, with 

 small white or purplish flowers, in corymbed cymes or clusters. (An ancient 

 Latin name, of unknown origin.) 



1. C. Mariftna, L. (COMMON DITTANY.) Stems tufted, corymbosely 

 much branched (1 high); leaves smooth, ovate, serrate, rounded or cordate 

 at the base, nearly sessile, dotted (!' long) ; cymes peduncled; calyx striate. 

 Dry hills, S. New York to Ohio, Illinois, and southward. July -Sept. 



7. HYSSOPUS, L. HYSSOP. 



Calyx tubular, 15-nerved, equally 5-toothed, naked in the throat. Corolla 

 short, 2-lipped ; upper lip erect, flat, obscurely notched ; the lower 3-cleft, with 

 the middle lobe larger and 2-cleft. Stamens 4, exscrted, diverging. A peren- 

 nial herb, with wand-like simple brandies, lanceolate or linear entire leaves, and 

 blue-purple flowers in small clusters, crowded in a spike. (The ancient name.) 



1. H. OFFICINALIS, L. Road-sides, Michigan, &c. ; escaped from gardens. 

 (Adv. from Eu.) 



8. PYCNAIVTIIEJaiJM, Michx. MOUNTAIN MINT. BASIL. 



Calyx ovate-oblong or tubular, about 13-nerved, equally 5-toothcd, or the 

 three upper teeth more or less united, naked in the throat. Corolla short, more 

 or less 2-lipped ; the upper lip straight, nearly flat, entire or slightly notched ; 

 the lower 3-clcft, its lobes all ovate and obtuse. Stamens 4, di.-itant, the lower 

 pair rather longer: anther-cells parallel. Perennial upright herbs, \\-\\\\ a pun- 

 gent mint-like flavor, corymbosely branched above; the floral leaves often 



