642 



PART III. — THE CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS. 



ous : the two median carpels form a usually bilocular ovary which 

 sometimes becomes sub-divided into four loculi : leaves scattered, 

 or opposite decussate, exstipulate : the leafy shoots have no ter- 

 minal flower. 



Order 1. Labiate. Stamens four, didynamous (Fig. 443 B); 

 rarely, as in Salvia and its allies, only the two anterior stamens are 

 developed : the bicarpellary ovary becomes subdivided by spurious 

 dissepiments into four loculi (see Fig. 450 0), which part, as the 



seed ripens, into four 

 nutlets (Fig. 443 C) ; 

 style gynobasic : the 

 ovule in each loculus 

 is solitary and erect: 

 seed without endo- 

 sperm. Herbs with 

 decussate leaves and 

 quadrangular stem. 

 The flowers are dis- 

 posed apparently in 

 whorls round the 

 stem, but the inflor- 

 escence is in fact 

 made up of compound 

 cymes or dichasia, 

 termed verticillasters, 

 developed in the axil of each of the two opposite leaves. 



Tribe 1. Ocimoidece. Stamens 4, descending. 



Ocimum hasilicum, the Sweet Basil, from India, and Lavandula, the Laven- 

 der from Southern Europe, are cultivated as pot-herbs : several species of Coleus 

 are cultivated. 



Tribe 2. Menthoidece. Stamens 4, equal, ascending, divergent : corolla 

 almost regular, 4- or 5-lobed. 



Many species of Mentha, Mint, are common. Pogostemon Patchouli yields 

 oil of Patchouli. Lycopus has only 2 fertile stamens, the two posterior ones 

 being abortive. 



Tribe 3. Satureinea. Stamens 4, with broad connective, ascending, either 

 almost equal (Thymus, Origanum), or didynamous and remote at base, con- 

 niving under the upper lip. 



Onganum vulgare is. the Wild Marjoram; the Sweet Marjoram which is cul- 

 tivated is an exotic species. Thymus Serpyllum is the wild Thyme ; the garden 

 Thyme is T. vulgaris, from Southern Europe. Satureia hortensis (exotic) is the 

 Summer Savory. Various species of Calamintha (stamens not divergent) are com- 

 mon, such as C. arvensis, the Common Basil, and C. Clinopoduim, the Wild Basil. 



Fig. 443. A Flower of Lamium, side view : fc calyx ; < 

 upper; u under lip. B Flower of Leouurus opened : ( 

 upper : u divided under lip ; s lateral lobes of the corolla ; 

 // short, //long stamens (mag.). C Gynseceum ; n i- 

 lobed ovary; g style (mag.). 



