248 SUB-ALPINE PLANTS 



Flowering cymes in dense, terminal heads. Calyx hairy, green, with 

 lanceolate, acute teeth, rather shorter than the tube. 



Rocks and dry hillsides on limestone ; very local. June to 

 September. 



Distribution. Pyrenees, Landes, Spain, Isere in Dauphiny. 



HYSSOPUS L. Hyssop. 



Though not the Biblical Hyssop. 



Flowers deep blue or violet, handsome, in terminal spikes. 

 Leaves oblong or linear-lanceolate, entire, smooth, sub-sessile, with 

 glandular dots, i-nerved. Aromatic plants with woody base, 

 growing in tufts. 



There are 5 or 6 closely allied species native in the Mediterranean 

 region, Southern Alps, and Western Asia. Often cultivated. 



Hyssopus officinalis L. Common Hyssop. 



Stems i-i| feet high. Stock woody, with erect branches. Leaves 

 greyish green, linear-lanceolate, entire, smooth, sessile, with 

 glandular dots, ciliated. Spikes terminal, unilateral. Calyx with 

 15 nerves and triangular teeth, acute. Corolla-tube equalling the 

 calyx. Corolla deep blue, upper lip erect, spreading, emarginate ; 

 lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens 4. Nutlets trigonous, ovoid. 



Stony places and hot rocks in sub-alpine regions ; local. July, 

 August. 



Distribution. Tessin and Valais, Savoy, Dauphiny, Southern 

 Europe, Western Asia, Morocco. 



Hyssopus montanus Jord. 



Flowers smaller, dark blue. Plant entirely glabrous, bright 

 green. Leaves linear, obtuse. 



Dry hills ; rare. August, September. 



Distribution. Hills in Hautes-Alpes, and mountains of Dauphiny, 

 Southern Russia. 



LAVANDULA L. Lavender. 



About 20 species inhabiting the Mediterranean region, Western 

 Asia, and India. Bitter and aromatic herbs, used medicinally, as 

 stimulants and as a perfume. 



Lavandula spica L. (L. vera DC.). 



An under-shrub 1-2 feet high, greyish green with tomentum, with 

 woody stem rising to about a foot above the ground. Branches 

 simple, naked for 6 or 8 inches to the top, and bearing a terminal 

 spike of bluish flowers in false- whorls. Leaves linear or linear- 

 oblong, obtuse, rolled in at the margins. Upper lip of corolla bi- 

 nd ; lower lip trifid, with oval, obtuse lobes. Stony hillsides and 

 dry mountains in the south. June to August. 



