220 PQLYGONE^:. [ Origanum. 



19. CLINOPODIUM. Linn. Wild Basil. 



Whorls many-flowered, with numerous, linear bracteas, forming 

 a sort of involucre. Calyx tubular, 13-nerved, nearly equal 

 at the base, often curved ; upper lip 3-toothed ; lower one 

 trifid. Corolla with the upper lip nearly plane, emarginate ; 

 lower one 3-lobed ; middle lobe emarginate. Name K\ii><rj, a 

 bed, and vms, vrodos, a foot, from the compact stalked head of 

 flowers. Didynamia. Gymnospermia. 



I. C. vufgare, Linn. Wild Basil. Whorls bristly ; involu- 

 cral leaves awl-shaped ; flowerstalks branched ; leaves obscurely 

 serrated. Br.Fl. I. p. 280. E.Fl.v. iii.jo. 105. E.Bot.t.lWl. 



Hills and dry bushy places. Hilly grounds between Enniskerry and 

 Bray. On several of the islands in the lower lake of Killarney, and 

 road-side near Kenmare, on a limestone soil. FL Aug. It . One to 

 a foot and a half high, with soft hairs. Flowers in crowded whorls, 

 large, purple. 



20. ORIGANUM. Linn. Marjoram. 



Spikes (or Heads) of flowers 4-sided, resembling a catkin, im- 

 bricated with bracteas. Calyx various. Corolla with the upper 

 lip erect, nearly plane, lower one patent, trifid. Benth. 

 Name, o/>o?, a /till, and 70^09, joy, from the dry hilly places 

 of which the species are the ornament. 



Didynamia. Gymnospermia. 



1. O. vulgare, Linn. Common Marjoram. Heads of 

 flowers roundish, panicled, crowded, glabrous ; bracteas ovate, 

 longer than the calyx ; leaves ovate, entire. Br. Fl. 1. p. 272. 

 E. FL. v. \ii. p. 106. E. Bot. t. 1143. 



Dry hills and bushy places, not unfrequent. Fl. July, Aug. 1. 

 Stems one foot high. Flowers purple, and the bracteas tinged with 

 the same colour. Fragrant and aromatic. 



" The Thyme strong-scented 'neath one's feet, 

 And Marjoram so doubly sweet." Clare. 



SUBCLASS IV. MONOCHLAMYDE^E. De Cand. 



Perianth single ; the calyx and corolla forming but one floral 

 covering, or altogether wanting. 



ORD. 60. POLYGONE^E. Jms. Buck- Wheat Family. 



Perianth monophyllous, divided, with an imbricated aestiva- 

 tion. Stamens definite, inserted at the bottom of the perianth : 

 cells of the anthers opening longitudinally. Ovary free, 1- 



