66 



CLASS XIII. DIDYNAMIA, 



a. Calyx nearly equally 5 cleft. 



' 219. TEUCRIUM. Niitt. Gen. 495. 

 [Said to be dedicated to Teucer; a Trojan Prince, who first introduced the plant to notice.] 

 Cor. upper lip none; or deeply cleft, with the Stamens in the fissure: lower lip trifid. 

 T. CANADENSE- Ell. Leaves lancc-ovate, serrate; Spike terminal, crowded; bractes as long as the calyx. 

 J^«/o^o— Nettle-leaved Germander. "Wood Sage. 



Fl. Middle of July. Fr. mat. Beginning of September. 



Ilab. Fence rows; and along Brandywiue: frequent. 1 to 3 feet high: flowers pale purple. 



Obs. I have specimens which fit the descriptions given of both T. canadensc, fend T. inrginicwn; except 

 that the bractes are, in all of them, about as lojig as the calyx: but I incline to think they are nothing 

 more than varieties. That which answers to T. virginicum, grows on the rich, moist grounds along 

 Brandy wine, near John Taylor's Mill; and is often 3 feet high, or more. 



220. VERBENA. Nutt. Gen. 521. 

 [From the Celtics /er/ac'rt, meaning to remove, or cure the stone; one of its supposed virtues. De Tkeis.} 



CoR. funnel-form; tube incurved; limb51obed, unequal. Seeds 4 or 2, finally naked. 

 V. HAST AT A. Ell. Leaves lanceolate, acuminate, incised-serrate, rarely hastate; spikes paniculate. 

 Ft. Middle of July, and after. Fr. mat. Beginning of October. 



Mab. j^wampy meadows; and creek sides: Brandywine: frequent. 3 to 5ieet high: flowers bluish purple! 



Obs. I suspect our plant is the variety, oblongifolia, of Nuttall. I have preferred placing this genus iig 

 Gymnospermia, because the evanescent capsule, or tunic of the seeds, which is spoken of, is rarely to be 

 observed: and therefore the student will be most likely to look for it in this order. 



V. URTICJEFOLTA. Ell. Leavcs ovate, acute, serrate; spikes filiform, terminal and axillary ; flowers distinct. 



FitZg-o— Common, or Nettle-leaved Vervain. 



Fl. Beginning of July, and after. Fr- mat. Last of September. 



Hab. Pastures and roadsides: not common. 2 to4 feet high: flowers white, small. 



Obs. This species is pretty abundant in our pasture fields; and, towards autumn, becomes covered with 

 a bluish pulverulent matter, resembling mould. SchcEpf says, the decoction of the root, together with the 

 inner bark of white oak, in milk and water, has been used with happy success in cases of poisonous erup- 

 tion caused by the poison Sumach. The virtues of the remedy, probably, were derived from the oak 

 b^rk. 



223. MENTHA. Nutt Gen. 496. 

 IMinthe, a daughter of Cocytus; fabled to have been changed into this herb, by Proserpine.] 

 Cor. 4 cleft, subequal; the broadest segment emarginate. Stamens erect, distant. 

 M- BOREALis. Ph. Pubescent; leaves petiolate, lance-oval, acute at each end; flowers verticillate. 

 Fl. Latter end of July, and after. Fr. mat. Latter end of September. 



Hab. Along Brandy wine : Jefferis' ford, &c. frequent. 9 to 18 inches high: flowers purplish white, 



M. ARVENsis. Fl- Brit. Hairy; branching; leaves ovate; flowers verticillate; calj'x campanulate. 



Vulgo— Corn Mint. Field Mint. 



J'/. Middle of July, and after. Fr. mat. 



Hab. Roadside, near Jos. Townsend's farmhouse: rare. About 1 foot high: flowers bluish purple. 



Obs. This foreigner is rare here; and has probably escaped from the gardens, or been accidentally in- 

 troduced. The plant, when bruised, has a remarkable odor; not unaptly compared, by Withering, to 

 that of mouldy cheese. 



M. viRiDis. Fl. Brit. Leaves lanceolate, sessile; spikes elongated, interrupted; stamens long. 



Vulgo — Spear Mint. Common Mint. 



Fl. Latter end of July, and after- Fr. mat. Last of September- 



Hab. About houses: along rivulets,&c. frequent. 1 to 2feet high: flowers pale purple. 



Obs. A forcignnr.but becoming extensively naturalized. It is well known for its warm, aromatic quali' 

 ties; and its much employed iu domestic medicine, in cases of nauseaj &c 



