6<50 LAMIACE^E. [Perigynous Exogens. 



Oranges and other plants, but are little utricules having an open orifice ; and hence he 

 calls them pores. For some good remarks upon the anatomy of the stem of Labiates, see 

 Mirbel in the Annates du Museum, vol. IS. p. 223. The aestivation of the corolla of 

 this Order, first well pointed out by Brown, is an important consideration in determining 

 whether a flower is resupinate or not. Prostanthera is remarkable for the remains of 

 albumen existing in the ripe seeds of several of its species. Oxera of La Billardiere 

 has been lately re-examined by M. Fenzl, who finds that its structure was, as I suspected, 

 entirely misunderstood, and that the lobes of its ovary contain each a conical, solitary, 

 fleshy placenta, from the apex of which one ovule hangs down. He refers the plant to 

 Verbenes ; but its lobed ovary is an objection, and the pendulous position of the ovules, 

 being due to the unusual extension of their placenta, in consequence of which they 

 cannot be erect, need not, under such circumstances, be taken into account. 



Natives of temperate regions, in greater abundance than elsewhere, their maximum 

 probably existing between the parallels of 40° and 50° N. latitude. They are found in 

 abundance in hot, dry, exposed situations, in meadows, hedgerows, and groves ; not 

 commonly in marshes. In France they form l-24th of the Flora ; in Germany, l-26th ; 

 in Lapland, l-40th ; the proportion is the same in the United States of North America, 

 and within the tropics of the New World {Humboldt) ; in Sicily they are 1-21 of 

 flowering plants (Presl.) ; in the Baleai-ic islands, l-19th. About 200 species are 

 mentioned in Wallich's Catalogue of the Indian Flora, a large proportion of which is 

 from the northern provinces. They were not found in Melville Island. 



Labiates are in all cases destitute of any deleterious secretions ; for the most part 

 they are fragrant and aromatic, have been used as tonics, and are valuable as kitchen 

 herbs, for sauces, and flavouring cooked dishes ; some are employed by perfumers, 

 many are admired for their beauty, especially species of Sage ; some furnish a substance 

 resembling Camphor in its nature ; a small number are simply astringent, and a very 

 few are eatable, though perhaps not worth eating, such as the roots of Stachys palustris, 

 which is the Panax Coloni of old writers, and some species related to Ocymum, whose 

 tubers are reported to be a common esculent in Madagascar. Without pretending to 

 make a list of all the uses to which these common plants have been applied, a small 

 number of cases will be found a sufficient indication of them. 



Among the mere aromatics the most celebrated is the Patchouli, or Pucha pat, some 

 unknown species of Plectranthus or Coleus, a plant of which large quantities are exported 

 from Penang, for stuffing mattresses and pillows. Its strong-smelling leaves are sup- 

 posed to keep off contagion. — Pharm. Journ. iv. 81. It is used in this country as an 

 article of perfumery. Next to this comes Lavender, the Lavandula vera of De Candolle. 

 The flowers of this plant contain a fragrant volatile oil in great abundance, together 

 with a bitter principle. They are carminative, stimulant, and tonic, but are more em- 

 ployed in perfumery than in medicine ; the leaves and flowers have been used as sternu- 

 tatories. Oil of Lavender is obtained by distillation, and is sometimes given in hysteria 

 and nervous headache ; it enters into the composition of Eau de Cologne and the Vinaigre 

 aux quatre voleurs. French Lavender, Lavandula Spica of De Candolle, is less fragrant, 

 and not employed medicinally. It yields what is called Oil of Spike, which is used by 

 painters on porcelain, and in the preparation of varnishes for artists. The oil of Mentha 

 citrata is extremely fragrant, with much the odour of oil of Bergamot. 



These fragrant and aromatic qualities render many valuable as stimulating medicines. 

 Mint, for example (Mentha viridis), is not merely used as a sauce, but as an aromatic 

 and carminative, in the form of oil of Spearmint and Spearmint water. Pennyroyal, 

 the Mentha Pulegium,and the Menthas rotundifolia, aquatica, and arvensis have similar 

 qualities, but the most useful among them is Peppermint, an aromatic stimulant, and 

 the most pleasant of all the Mints. It is employed in medicine for several purposes, 

 principally to expel flatus, to cover the unpleasant taste of other medicines, and to 

 relieve nausea and griping pains of the alimentary canal. The volatile oil is sometimes 

 taken as an antispasmodic ; it is what gives their flavour to Peppermint lozenges. — Pereira. 

 Hedeoma pulegioides, the Pennyroyal of the North Americans, has a great popular 

 reputation as an emmenagogue. Cunila mariana is beneficially employed in infusion in 

 slight fevers and colds, with a view to excite perspiration. Leonotis nepetifolia, Leucas 

 martinieensis, Marsypianthus hyptoidcs, are all employed in Brazil for medicating baths 

 prescribed for rheumatic attacks. Some are diuretics and diaphoretics, such as ^Eollan- 

 thus suavis, used in Brazil in spasmodic strangury, Glechon spathulatus, Ocymum inca- , 

 nescens, Peltodon radicans, and many kinds of Hyptis. As carminatives and antispas- 

 modics we have all the culinary species, such as Mint (Mentha viridis), Basil (various 

 species of Ocymum), Marjoram (of Origanum), Savories (of Satureia), Lavandula Stsechas, 

 used in Arabia as an antispasmodic, Sage (Salvia officinalis and grandiflora), Meriandra 

 benghalensis, the Sage of Bengal, Thyme, Hyssop, Sec. &c. 



It is well known that Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is a popular remedy for 





