37 



LABIATE 



LABIATE. Mint Family 



One of the most natural groups of plants in the vegetable kingdom. Ita 

 members being so uniform, it would seem as if all of its species could be com- 

 prehended in a single genus; hence the characteristics of its different genera 

 are very difficult to make out. 



DESCRIPTION. Herbs with opposite or whorled leaves. Flowers in axils of 

 leaves or bracts, solitary or clustered cymes, scattered or crowded into spikes. 

 Calyx sometimes 2-lipped, upper lip bifid, lower trifid, sometimes subregular. 

 Corolla monopetalous, bilabiate, the upper lip entire or emarginate, the lower 

 3-lobed, sometimes bell- or funnel-shaped, with 4 subequal lobes (Mentha). 

 Stamens 4, inserted on the corolla tube, didynamous (2 long and 2 short), or 2 

 by the abortion of the 2 upper (Lycopus, Salvia, Rosmarinus). Ovary 4-lobed. 

 Ovules 4. Style simple, rising from the base of the ovarian lobes. Fruit sepa- 

 rating into 4 akenes. Stem quadrangular, with volatile oil secreted in vascular 

 glands. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF DRUGS OP THE ORDER 



In most instances the drug consists of dry herbs composed of leaves, or leaves 

 and tops, with portions of stem, branches, and flowers. These are usually broken 

 and intermixed. Odor aromatic, due to the secreted volatile oil; some species 

 hold in solution a solid hydrocarbon (stearopten) analogous to camphor. Taste 

 aromatic, pungent, cooling, and bitterish (marrubium). The odor and taste are 

 frequently sufficient to distinguish the different drugs, but a knowledge of the size, 

 shape, and marginal character of the leaves and their texture, and the character 

 of the stem and branches is sometimes quite useful in the identification of the 

 various drugs derived from the order. 



Synopsis of Drugs from the Labiates 



A. Herbs. 

 MENTHA PIPER- 



ITA, 473- 

 MENTHA VIRIDIS, 



474- 



Hedeoma, 475. 

 Marrubium, 476. 

 Melissa, 477. 

 *Scutellaria, 478. 

 Origanum, 479. 

 Cunila, 480. 

 Glechoma, 481. 

 Lycopus, 482. 

 Majorana, 483. 

 Serpyllum, 484. 

 Leonurus, 485. 

 Monarda, 486. 

 Hyssopus, 488. 

 "Cataria, 489. 



Teucrium, 490. 

 Lamium, 491. 



B. Leaves. 

 Salvia, 492. 

 Rosmarinus, 493. 

 "Thymus, 494. 

 Orthosiphon, 495. 

 Pycnanthemum, 496. 

 Satureia, 497. 

 Yerba Buena, 498. 

 Ocimum, 499. 

 Monarda Pistulosa, 487. 

 Betonica, 500. 



C. Flowers. 

 Lavandula, 501. 



D. Volatile Oils. 

 OLEUM MENTHA 



PIPERIT^, 473 a. 



OLEUM MENTHA 



VIRIDIS, 474 a. 

 Oleum Hedeomae 



475 a. 



Oleum Origani, 479 a. 

 Oleum Monardae, 486 a. 

 OLEUM ROSMARINI, 



493 a. 



OLEUM THYMI, 494 a. 

 OLEUM LAVANDULA 



FLORUM, 501 a. 



E. Stearopten. 

 MENTHOL, 473 b. 



F. Rhizome. 

 Collinsonia, 502. 



473. MENTHA PIPERITA. PEPPERMINT 



"3 The "dried leaves and tops of Men'tha piperi'ta Linne 1 . 

 DESCRIPTION. Leaves petiolate, ovate, lanceolate, about 2 inches (50 

 mm.) long, acute, sharply serrate, glandular, nearly smooth; light or 



