Origanum.] LABIATE. 319 



O. vulga're, L. ; erect, corymbosely branched, leaves broadly ovate. 

 Dry copses and hedgebanks, &c, from Caithness southd.; Scotland, rare; 

 ascends to 1,300 ft. in Yorkshire ; Ireland, local ; Channel Islands ; fl. July- 

 Sept. — More or less pubescent, bifariously on the branches. Rootstoek 

 short, stoloniferous. Stems many, 1-3 ft., stout. Leaves §-1 in., shortly 

 petioled, rhombic-ovate, lower early withering, entire or obtusely serrate. 

 Cymes J-l in., ovoid, 4-gonous ; bracts J in., green or purple, ovate, acute, 

 longer than the calyx. Flowers proterandrous, dimorphic, larger 2-sexual, 

 purple, stamens long, smaller female paler. Calyx yellow-dotted, teeth 

 short; throat closed with hairs. — Distrib. Europe (Arctic), N. Africa, 

 N. and W. Asia, Himalaya ; introd. in N. America. — Aromatic, bitter, and 

 balsamic. — O. megasta'chyum, Link, is a large state with 4-gonous spikes. 



4. THY'MUS, L. Thyme. 



Small shrubs, often hairy, much branched, very aromatic. Leaves 

 small, quite entire ; margins often revolute. Whorls few-fid., in lax or 

 dense spikes ; bracts minute ; flowers purple, rarely white, honeyed, 

 proterandrous. Calyx ovoid, 10-13-nerved, 2-lipped, upper lip 3-toothed, 

 lower 2-fid ; throat villous. Corolla-tube naked within, obscurely 2-lipped ; 

 upper lip straight, flattish, notched ; lower 3-fid. Stamens 4, usually 

 exserted, straight, distant, the lower longer ; anther-cells parallel or 

 diverging. Style-lobes subequal, subulate. Nutlets nearly smooth. — 

 Distkib. Temp. Old World ; species 40. — Ettm. The Greek name. 



T. Serpyl'lum, L. ; prostrate, leaves green flat quite entire. 



Hills and dry grassy places, N. to Shetland; ascends to 3,500 ft. in the High- 

 lands ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. June- Aug. — Glabrous or hairy, hairs 

 often reflexed and in lines on the stems. Rootstoek woody. Stems decum- 

 bent. Leaves f-| in., shortly petioled, ovate or obovate-lanceolate, obtuse. 

 Whorls capitate ; bracts foliaceous ; pedicels very short; flowers dimorphic, 

 males large, bisexual smaller. Calyx purplish, teeth ciliate. Corolla f-f 

 in., rose-purple.— Distrib. Europe (Arctic), N. and W. Asia, Himalaya, 

 Greenland ; introd. in N. America. 



T. Serpyl'lum proper ; flowering-branches ascending from trailing shoots 

 that are barren at the tip, leaves often obovate, whorls in one head, upper 

 lip of corolla oblong.— Commonest form in mountain districts. 



Sub-sp. T. Cham^'drys, Fries; flowering- and barren-branches ascending 

 from the crown of the rootstoek, leaves usually ovate, whorls in many 

 axillary heads, upper lip of corolla short and broad. 



5. CALAMIN'THA, Mamch. 



Herbs or shrubs. Whorls dense and axillary or loose and panicled ; 

 flowers purple white or yellow. Calyx tubular, 13-nerved, 2-lipped, upper 

 lip 3-toothed, lower 2-fid ; throat naked or villous. Corolla-tube straight ; 

 throat naked, often inflated ; upper lip erect, flattish, lower spreading, 

 3-lobed. Stamens 4, ascending under the upper lip, upper sometimes 

 imperfect ; anther-cells parallel or diverging. Style-lobes equal, or the 



