XI. 



MELISSA OFFICINALIS. 



Common Balm. 



Class XIV. DiDYNAMiA. — Order I. Gymnospermia. 



Nat. Ord. Labiat.e. 



Gen. Char. Calyx dry, nearly flat above ; the upper 

 lip somewhat fastigiate. Corolla upper lip somewhat 

 vaulted, bifid ; lower lip smaller, with the middle lobe 

 cordate. 



Spec. Char. Whorls halved, subsessile. Bracteae oblong, 

 stalked. Leaves ovate, acute, serrated. 



SYNONYMES. 



Greek .... (iiy.tff(r'o^v>.Xo\). Dioscorides. 



/- Blelissa. Gerard Em. 689. Raii Hist. 570. 

 Latin . . . . -| IMelissa hortensis. Bauhin Pincu\ 229. 



(.Melissa officinalis. Lin. Sp. PI. 827- 

 French .... Melisse ; Citronelle ; Citronade. 

 Italian .... Melissa ; Cedronella. 

 Spanish .... Melisa ; Cidronela. 

 Portuguese. IMelissa. 

 German.... Melisse; Citronen-Melisse ; Citronenkraut. 



Dutch Melisse; Citroenkruid. 



Swedish .... Meliss. 

 Polish Melisa. 



Description. — The roots are slender, cylindrical, somewhat 

 branched, and fibrous. The stems are annual, quadrangular, 

 nearly smooth, much branched, and rise from one to two feet in 

 height. The leaves are opposite, petiolate, ovate, the lower 

 somewhat cordate, serrate, of a bright green colour, and clothed 

 with short hairs. The flowers are small, numerous, axillary, 

 arranged in semi-whorls, on slender peduncles, and furnished 

 with several small oblong bracteae at the base. The calyx is pen- 



