322 LABIATE. [Salvia. 



hairy above. Rootstock woody. Stem 1-2 ft., erect. Leaves 2-4 in., wrinkled, 

 radical petioled, oblong, obtuse, irregularly crenate or serrate ; upper cauline 

 sessile, oblong or deltoid-ovate. Whorls 6-fld., in long bracteate spikes ; 

 bracts ovate-cordate. Calyx campanulate, upper lip with recurved edges 

 and minute spinescent teeth, lower teeth subulate. Corolla blue-purple ; 

 upper lip short, compressed. Connective dilated. — Distrib. From Denmark 

 southd., N. Africa, W. Asia. — The nutlets become mucilaginous in water ; 

 formerly used for eye complaints. 

 S. clandesti'na, L., is a smaller more slender variety, with leaves narrower, upper 

 calyx-teeth less spiny, corolla longer more purple, upper lip longer arched. — 

 Channel Islands. 



2. S. praten'sis, L. ; stem-leaves few, corolla 1 in. lip viscid. 



Dry fields, very rare, Cornwall, Kent, Oxford ; (a denizen, Wats.) ; fl. June- 

 Aug. — Glandular-hairy, especially above. Habit of S. Verbena'ca, but 

 larger. Leaves wrinkled, 3-6 in., radical oblong or ovate-cordate, long- 

 petioled, obtuse, sometimes 2-lobed at the base, crenatures large irregular; 

 cauline similar or more oblong, smaller, shorter petioled. Whorls about 4- fid., 

 in spikes 1-1^ ft. ; bracts small, ovate-cordate, long acuminate and calyx 

 coloured. Flowers dimorphous, honeyed, larger 2-sexual, proterandrous, 

 smaller female. Corolla bright blue, glabrous inside ; upper lip long, com- 

 pressed, much arched ,* lower broad. Connective dilated. — Distrib. From 

 Belgium southd., W. Asia. 



7. NEP'ETA, L. 



Erect or prostrate herbs. Whorls axillary or terminal ; flowers blue 

 yellow or white. Calyx tubular, 15-ribbed, 5-toothed, teeth equal or 

 unequal. Corolla-tube slender below, throat dilated, naked ; upper lip 

 straight, notched or 2-fid ; lower 3-fid, mid-lobe large. Stamens 4, 

 ascending under the upper lip, upper pair longest ; anther-cells diverging. 

 Style-lobes subulate. Nutlets smooth. — Distrib. Temp. Europe, H. 

 Africa and Asia ; species about 120. — Etym. The Latin name. 



Sub-gen. 1. Nep'eta proper. Whorls sub terminal ; upper bracts 

 small. Corolla-tube short ; mid-lobe of lower lip suborbicular, concave. 

 Anthers subparallel, both cells opening by one slit. 



1. N. Cata'ria, L. ; erect, leaves ovate-cordate inciso-serrate white and 

 pubescent beneath, flowers white. Cat-Mint. 



Banks and waste places, from Northumbd. southd., rare ; introduced only in 

 Scotland ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; (a doubtful native, Wats.) ; fl. July- 

 Sept.— Hoary pubescent. Rootstock stout. Stem 2-3 ft., branched, very 

 leafy. Leaves 1-3 in., deeply lobed at the base. Whorls shortly stalked, 

 upper sessile, many and dense-fld., in broad heads 1 in. long ; bracts leafy ; 

 bracteoles longer than the short pedicels. Calyx pubescent ; teeth subulate, 

 upper longest. Corolla \ in., dotted with purple, tube curved. Xvtlets 

 granulate. — Distrib. Europe, N". and W. Asia, Himalaya ; introd. in N. 

 America. 



