LABIATE. (MINT FAMILY.) 303 



axillary 1 -3-flowered peduncles. (Name from uroy, equal, and ai/0os,flower, 

 referring to the almost regular corolla.) 



1. I. caeruleus, Michx. Gravelly banks, Maine to Illinois, and south- 

 ward. July, Aug. Corolla 2" long. 



4. MENTHA, L. MINT. 



Calyx bell-shaped or tubular, 5-toothed, equal or nearly so. Corolla with a 

 short included tube ; the bell-shaped border somewhat equally 4-cleft ; the upper 

 lobe broadest, entire or notched at the apex. Stamens 4, equal, erect, distant 

 (either exserted or included in different individuals of the same species). Odor- 

 ous herbs, with the small flowers mostly in close clusters, forming axillary capi- 

 tate whorls, sometimes approximated in interrupted spikes. Corolla pale purple 

 or whitish. (Mivdrj of Theophrastus, from a Nymph of that name, fabled to 

 have been changed into Mint by the jealous Proserpine.) 



1. ITI. vfRiois, L. (SPEARMINT.) Nearly smooth ; leaves almost sessile, 

 ovate-lanceolate, unequally serrate ; whorls of flowers approximate in loose pani- 

 cled spikes. 1J. Wet places; common. (Nat. from Eu.) 



2. ITI. PIPERITA, L. (PEPPERMINT.) Smooth leaves petioled, ovate-oblong, 

 acute, serrate ; whorls crowded in short obtuse spikes, interrupted at the base. 1|. 

 Low grounds, and along brooks : less naturalized than the last. Aug. Mul- 

 tiplying, like the Spearmint, by running under-ground shoots. (Nat. from Eu.) 



3. M ARVENSIS, L. (CORN MINT.) Stem hairy downwards; leaves peti- 

 oled, ovate or oblong, serrate; the floral similar and longer than the globose 

 remote whorls of flowers. 1J. Fields, Perm, and Ohio: rare. Odor like 

 that of decayed cheese. (Adv. from Eu.) 



4. M. Caimdeiisis, L. (WILD MINT.) Stems ascending (l-2 

 high), whitish-hairy ; leaves petioled, oblong, tapering to both ends, the upper- 

 most lanceolate ; flowers crowded in globular axillary whorls. ( Odor like Penny- 

 royal). Var. GLABRA.TA, Benth., is smoothish, the leaves usually less tapering 

 at the base, "the smell pleasanter, more like that of Monarda" (Porter). (M. 

 borealis, Mickx.) 1J. Wet banks of brooks, New England to Kentucky, and 

 northward. July - Sept. 



5. I, YC OPUS, L. WATER HOREHOUND. 



Calyx bell-shaped, 4 -5-toothed, naked in the throat. Corolla bell-shaped, 

 scarcely longer than the calyx, nearly equally 4-lobed. Stamens 2, distant ; the 

 upper pair either sterile rudiments or wanting. Nutlets with thickened mar- 

 gins. Perennial low herbs, resembling Mints, with sharply toothed or pin- 

 natifid leaves, the floral ones similar and much longer than the dense axillarj 

 whorls of small mostly white flowers. (Name compounded of \VKOS, a wolf, and 

 Trow?, foot, from some fancied likeness in the leaves.) 



1. L. VirgillicilS, L. (BUGLE-WEED.) Stem obtusely 4-angled (6'- 

 18' high), producing long and slender runners from the base ; leaves oblong 01 

 ovate-lanceolate, toothed, entire towards the base, short-petioled ; calyx-teeth \ t 



