LABIATES 367 



The stem is square in cross section, the leaves 

 opposite, with long petioles and broad blades, ovate, 

 acute, narrowed to the petiole, coarsely crenate, her- 

 baceous, glabrous except for pubescence on the nerves 

 of the upper side. 



Flowers in groups of two or three, in terminal or 

 axillary spikes. In each group of three the middle 

 flower may be seen to open first, i.e. to be older 

 than the two lateral. Each group is, therefore, a small 

 cyme, and the inflorescence consists, really, of cymes 

 arranged in decussate pairs on the axis of terminal 

 and axillary spikes. Each cyme arises in the axil 

 of a ovate-lanceolate bract, and there are two linear 

 bracteoles subtending the other flowers. Pedicel about 

 ^ inch with glandular hairs. Calyx two-lipped, the 

 upper lip round, obtuse, the lower with four sharp 

 teeth. Corolla from i to I inch long, gamopetalous 

 and two-lipped above, the upper lip erect with four 

 divisions or teeth, the lower lip boat-shaped, bent 

 downwards and entire. Stamens four, bent down and 

 inside the lower lip, with small round or oval anthers, 

 which open by one slit only (because the two halves 

 become merged into one). Ovary with a yellow disc 

 round it, four-lobed, the style rising from between the 

 lobes and dividing at the top into the two-branched 

 stigma. In fruit the calyx^ tube contains apparently 

 four seeds, but seeds being always (in the plants we 

 are dealing with in this book) formed in an ovary 

 and not by themselves, these four bodies cannot be 

 true seeds, but are the four lobes of the ovary which 

 have come apart from each other and contain each 

 one seed, though is impossible in the ripe state to 



