MENTHA.] LABIATE. 315 



TRIBE Y. AJUGOIDE'JE. Stamens 4, parallel, ascending, exserted, 2 upper 

 shorter. Nutlets connate, base oblique, reticulate and rugose. 



Calyx tubular, 5~toothed. Upper corolla-lip 2-partite .'...16. Teucriura. 



Calyx ovoid, 5-cleft. Upper corolla-lip entire or notched 17. Ajuga. 



1. MEN'THA, L. MINT. 



Strong-scented perennial herbs ; rootstock stoloniferous, creeping. 

 Whorls many-fld., axillary, or forming terminal spikes; bracts subulate 

 or foliaceous ; bracteoles small or ; flowers small. Calyx campanulate 

 or tubular, 5-toothed ; throat naked or villous. Corolla-tube short, limb 

 campanulate 4-lobed ; lobes subequal, upper broader. Stamens 4, equal, 

 erect, distant, glabrous ; anther-cells parallel. Style shortly 2-tid. Nut- 

 lets dry, smooth. DISTRIB. X. temp, regions ; species about 25. ETYM. 

 The old Greek name. Species often variable, hybridizing and difficult to 

 discriminate. 



* Whorls in terminal spikes ; bracts minute. Throat of calyx glabrous, 

 t Leaves all sessile, or the lower only petioled. 



1. M. sylves'tris, L. ; leaves broadly or narrowly oblong-obovate or 

 lanceolate subacute serrate smooth above hoary beneath, spike continuous, 

 calyx-teeth lanceolate, corolla hairy glabrous within. Horse-mint. 



Moist waste places, rare, from Forfar and the Clyde southd. ; Ireland 

 ? native ; fl. Aug.-Sept. Stem 2-3 ft., robust, tomentose with white hairs. 

 Leaves 1-3 in., f-2 in. broad, rounded or cordate at the base. Spikes 1-3 

 in., 3 I? in. broad, dense ; bracts lanceolate ; bracteoles subulate ; pedicels 

 hairy. Corolla lilac, about | in. ; diam. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, N. 

 and W. Asia, N.W. India. 



M. sylves'tris proper ; leaves oblong-lanceolate acute, base rounded, slightly 

 hairy above hoary beneath, spikes slender. YAR. M. nemoro'sa, "Willd. ; 

 leaves broadly oblong acute, base rounded, slightly hairy above tomentose 

 beneath, spike stouter. YAR. M. mollis'sima, Bock., leaves broadly ovate 

 acute, base subcordate, finely serrate hoary above felted beneath, spikes 

 stout. Rare. YAR. M. alopecuroi'des, Hull (veluti'na, Bab.) ; leaves broad 

 large coarsely serrate, base subcordate, somewhat wrinkled above very hairy 

 beneath, spikes short stout, bracts broader. Kent, Essex, Norfolk, Perth, 

 rare ; (an escape ? Wats.}. The transition to M. rotundifo'lia. 



2. M. rotundifo'lia, L. ; leaves broadly ovate-oblong very obtuse 

 crenate much wrinkled above shaggy or deeply tomentose beneath, spikes 

 interrupted, calyx hairy teeth subulate, corolla hairy glabrous within. 

 Wet places, from Forfar and the Clyde southd. ; (indigenous only in S. England, 



Wats.} ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. Aug.-Sept. Habit of M. sylves'tris, 

 but usually much branched. Leaves often densely woolly beneath. Spikes 

 dense, cylindric. Flowers white or pink. DISTRIB. From Belgium 

 southd., N. Africa, N. and "W. Asia. An escape in N. America. 



M. VIE/IDIS, L. ; glabrous or nearly so, leaves oblong-lanceolate sub- 

 acute serrate smooth above, spikes slender, corolla wholly glabrous. 

 Spear-mint. 



