LABIATE. 201 



Seeds numerous ; embryo within fleshy albumen, and 

 the radicle turned towards the hilum. 



Herbs, rarely shrubs, with exstipulate leaves some- 

 times decurrent. 



Geographical Relations. Common everywhere, being 

 found from Melville Island to the torrid zone. 



Properties. Generally suspicious, often highly dele- 

 terious, but the culinary art can render many members 

 esculent. 



Officinal Plant. 

 Digitalis purpurea. 



38. LABIATE. 



Calyx monosepalous, tubular, 5-10-toothed, regular 

 or irregular, inferior. Corolla monopetalous, hypogy- 

 nous, bilabiate, the upper lip sometimes two, the lower 

 one generally three-fid. Stamens didynamous, placed 

 upon the corolla, but two are sometimes abortive ; an- 

 thers two-celled, sometimes apparently one-celled by 

 the confluence of the locules at their apex. Ovarium 

 deeply four-lobed, and placed upon a disk, each lobe 

 having a solitary erect ovule. Style one, arising from 

 the centre and base of the ovarium ; stigma bifid, 

 mostly acute. Fruit 1-4 small nuts, or by abortion 

 fewer, enclosed by the persistent calyx. Seeds erect, 

 almost exalbuminous ; embryo erect, with plain coty- 

 ledons. 



Herbs or undershrubs, with the branches and young 

 stem square, and the ramifications opposite. They have 

 exstipulate opposite leaves, and an axillary cymose in- 

 florescence. 



Geographical Relations. Most common in the tem- 

 perate latitudes. 



