Mentha.] LABIATE. 315 



Tribe V. AJUGOIDE'iE. Stamens 4, parallel, ascending, exserted, 2 upper 

 shorter. Nutlets connate, base oblique, reticulate and rugose. 



Calyx tubular, 5-toothed. Upper corolla-lip 2-partite 16. Teucrium, 



Calyx ovoid, 5-cleft. Upper corolla-lip entire or notched 17. Ajuga. 



1. men'tha, L. Mint. 



Strong-scented perennial herbs ; rootstock stoloniferous, creeping. 

 Whorls many-fld., axillary, or forming terminal spikes ; bracts subulate 

 or foliaceous ; bracteoles small or ; flowers small. Calyx campanulate 

 or tubular, 5-toothed ; throat naked or villous. Corolla-tube short, limb 

 campanulate 4-lobed ; lobes subequal, upper broader. Stamens 4, equal, 

 erect, distant, glabrous ; anther-cells parallel. Style shortly 2-tid. Nut- 

 lets dry, smooth. — Distrib. N. temp, regions ; species about 25. — Etym. 

 The old Greek name. — Species often variable, hybridizing and difficult to 

 discriminate. 



* Whorls in terminal spikes ; bracts minute. Throat of calyx glabrous, 

 f Leaves all sessile, or the lower only petioled. 



1. M. sylves'tris, L. ; leaves broadly or narrowly oblong-obovate or 

 lanceolate subacute serrate smooth above hoary beneath, spike continuous, 

 calyx-teeth lanceolate, corolla hairy glabrous within. Horse-mint. 



Moist waste places, rare, from Forfar and the Clyde southd. ; Ireland 

 ? native ; fl. Aug.-Sept.— Stem 2-3 ft., robust, tomentose with white hairs. 

 Leaves 1-3 in., §-2 in. broad, rounded or cordate at the base. Spikes 1-3 

 in., §-§ in. broad, dense ; bracts lanceolate ; bracteoles subulate ; pedicels 

 hairy. Corolla lilac, about § in. k diam. — Distrib. Europe, 1ST. Africa, N. 

 and W. Asia, N.W. India. 



M. sylves'tris proper ; leaves oblong-lanceolate acute, base rounded, slightly 

 hairy above hoary beneath, spikes slender. — Var. M. nemoro'sa, Willd. ; 

 leaves broadly oblong acute, base rounded, slightly hairy above tomentose 

 beneath, spike stouter. — Var. M. mollis' sima, Bock., leaves broadly ovate 

 acute, base subcordate, finely serrate hoary above felted beneath, spikes 

 stout. Rare. — Var. M. alopecuroi'des, Hull (veluti'na, Bab.) ; leaves broad 

 large coarsely serrate, base subcordate, somewhat wrinkled above very hairy 

 beneath, spikes short stout, bracts broader. Kent, Essex, Norfolk, Perth, 

 rare ; (an escape ? Wats.). The transition to M. rotundifolia. 



2. M. rotundifolia, L. ; leaves broadly ovate-oblong very obtuse 

 crenate much wrinkled above shaggy or deeply tomentose beneath, spikes 

 interrupted, calyx hairy teeth subulate, corolla hairy glabrous within. 

 Wet places, from Forfar and the Clyde southd. ; (indigenous only in S. England, 



Wats.) ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. Aug.-Sept. —Habit of M. sylves'tris, 

 but usually much branched. Leaves often densely woolly beneath. Spikes 

 dense, cylindric. Flowers white or pink.— Distrib. From Belgium 

 southd., N. Africa, K and "W. Asia. — An escape in N. America. 



M. vir'idis, L. ; glabrous or nearly so, leaves oblong-lanceolate sub- 

 acute serrate smooth above, spikes slender, corolla wholly glabrous. 



Spear-mint. 



