(MINT FAMILY.) . 303 



axillary 1 - 3-flowered peduncles. (Name from tcrof, equal, and civdos, ^flower, 

 referring to the almost regular corolla.) 



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

 ward. July, Aug. Corolla 2" long. 



4. MENTIIA, 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 purpl^ 

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

 have been changed into Mint by the jealous Proserpine.) 



1. I?I. vfuiDis, L. (SPEARMINT.) Nearly smooth ; leaves almost sessile, 

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

 cled spikes, ty 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. 1J. 

 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. I?I. ARVENSIS, L. (CORN MINT.) Stem hairy dowmuards ; leaves peti- 

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

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

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



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

 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. GLAHRATA, Bcnth,, is smoothish, the leaves usually less tapering 

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

 jorealis, Michx.) 1}. Wet banks of brooks, New England to Kentucky, and 

 northward. July - Sept. 



5. L,i. r COPU, L. WATER HOREIIOUND. 



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

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

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

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

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

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

 irovs, fool, from some fancied likeness in the leaves.) 



1. L.. Virgiiiicus, L. (BUGLE-WEED.) Stem obtusely 4-anglcd (6'- 

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

 ovate-lam relate, tootaed, entire towards the base, short-petioled ; calyx-teeth 4, 



