THE MINT FAMILY 129 



THE MINT FAMILY (Labiatae). 



This large family contains several weeds, some of them 

 of common occurrence but none of much importance in agriculture. 

 The characteristics of the family are well marked and easily 

 recognized. A noticeable feature is the production of pleasantly 

 aromatic and oily secretions, as in the case of lavender, mint, 

 peppermint, sage, thyme, rosemary, bergamot, patchouli, and 

 many others, which are used in cooking or in the manufacture 

 of perfumes. No plant in this large family is poisonous. 



Salient characteristics of this family are: A square stem, 

 often downy; a strong scent when bruised; leaves always 

 opposite and simple; flowers generally clustered in the axils 

 of the leaves; corolla irregular, more or less mouth-shaped, 

 with large, wide-open lips, the lower of which is generally much 

 the larger. The fruit of these plants consists of seed-like nutlets, 

 generally partly keeled through compression, lying free at the 

 bottom of the calyx. Few plants of the Mint family are trouble- 

 some enemies of the farmer on properly worked land, but the 

 nutlets of some are oiten found in commercial seeds. 



Many odde old wives fables are written of vervaine tending to witchcraft and sor- 

 cery, which you may reade elsewhere, for I am not willing to trouble your eares with 

 reporting such trifles, as honest eares abhorre to heare. 



John Gerard, 1597. 



The Rule is certain. That Plants for want of Culture, degenerate to be baser in the same 

 kind; and some rimes so far as to change into another kind. 1. The standing long, and 

 not being removed, maketh them degenerate. 2. Drought, unless the Earth of itself be 

 moist, doth the like. 3. So doth removing into worse earth, or forebearing to compost 

 the Earth; as we see, that Water Mint tumeth into Field Mint, and the Coleivort into 

 Rape by neglect, etc. 



Bacon, Natural History, 1625 



