SELF-HEAL 



SELF-HEAL. HEAL-ALL 



Brunella vulgaris. Prunella vulgaris 



Said to be named from the German Braune, a disease of 

 the throat for which this plant was a reputed remedy. 



Perennial. One of the ever-present weeds of roadsides 

 and fence corners, creeping into lawns, where it becomes 

 a pest. Naturalized from Europe. June-October. 



Stems. — Square, grooved, low, two to twelve inches 

 high, leafy, usually sprawling. 



Leaves. — Opposite, oblong, oblong-lanceolate, acute, 

 margins slightly toothed, entire, or crenate, petioled. 



Flowers. — Small, violet-purple, two-lipped, in dense 

 terminal spikes suggesting at first a clover head, but 

 later becoming longer and four-square. Few flowers 

 in bloom at any one time. 



Calyx. — Tubular, two-lipped; upper lip with three 

 short teeth, lower lip two-cleft. Closes in fruit. Large 

 heart-shaped bract at base. 



Corolla. — Small, violet-purple, rarely white, two-lipped, 

 gaping. The upper lip is the darker and hoodlike; the 

 lower lip is the paler, spreading, three-lobed, the middle 

 and largest lobe fringed. 



Stamens. — In two pairs, ascending under the upper lip. 

 Filaments of the lower and longer pair two-toothed at 

 the summit, one of the teeth bearing an anther, the 

 other sterile. 



Pistil.— OvsLry deeply four-lobed, which in fruit forms 

 four, round, smooth nutlets. 



Pollinated by bumblebees, honeybees and flies. Nec- 

 tar-bearing. 



"The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth and he that 

 is wise does not abhor them." — Ecclesiasticus xxx : 8. 

 179 



