238 WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 



] . B. vulga'ris, L. Leaves ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate, cfenate 

 dentate or obsoletely serrate, sometimes pinnatifidly incised, petiolate. 

 COMMON BRUNELLA. Heal-all. Self-heal. 

 Fr. Brunelle ordinaire. Germ. Gemeiue Brunelle. Span. Brunela. 



Stem 8 - 12 or 15 inches high, erect or ascending, somewhat branched, especially at base. 

 Leaves 1 -3 inches long ; petioles half an inch.- 2 inches long (those of the radical or lower 

 leaves often 3-4 inches long); the floral-leaves bract-like, orbicular-cordate, sessile, with a 

 short abrupt acumination, the lower ones conspicuously acuminate. Cymules S-flowcred, 

 crowded into compact imbricated oblong terminal spikes. Bracteoles none. Corolla violet- 

 purple (rarely pale purple or nearly white) , smoothish. 



Fields, road-sides, open woodlands, &c.: introduced. Native of the old world. Fl. July - 

 September. Fr. August -November. 



Obs. This plant appears to be distributed over the four quarters of 

 the globe ; but I should judge it not to be a native, here. Although 

 not a pernicious weed, it is so common, on our farms, that it seemed 

 proper to notice it in this work. Its ancient reputation for healing 

 wounds like that of many other such medicaments of the olden times 

 is now. quite obsolete. The famous Mad-dog Scull-cap (Squtella'ria 

 lateriflo'ra, L.) which once figured in the Gazettes as a specific for 

 Hydrophobia belongs to this tribe, and is frequent in wet meadows. 



14. MARRU'BIUM, L. HOAEHOUND. 



[Said to be derived from the Hebrew, Marrob ; meaning a bitter juice.] 



Calyx tubular, 5-10-nerved, nearly equally 5- 10-toothed, the teeth 

 more or less spiny-pointed, finally spreading. Corolla with the upper 

 lip erect, flattish or concave, somewhat bifid lower lip spreading, 3- 

 lobed, middle lobe broader ; tube included in the calyx. Stamens in- 

 cluded ; anthers 2-celled, the cells divaricate. Akenes obtuse at summit, 

 but not truncate. Hoary-tomentose perennials with rugose leaves and 

 many-flowered axillary cymules. 



1. M. vulga're, L. Stems ascending ; leaves roundish-ovate or oval, 

 crenate-dentate, softly villous and canescent beneath ; calyx with 10 

 subulate recurved teeth. 

 COMMON MARRUBIUM. Hoarhound. 

 Fr. Marrub blanc. Germ. Der weisse, Andorn. Span. Marrubio. 



Stems 9-18 inches high, caespitose or branching from the base. Leaves about 2 inches 

 long, abruptly narrowed at base to a flat nerved woolly petiole half an inch to an inch long. 

 Cymules dense, sessile in the rather distant axils ; bradeoles subulate. Corolla white, 

 small. 



Stony banks apd waste places : introduced. Native of Europe and middle Asia. FL 

 July -August. Fr. September. 



Obs. This has been introduced as a medicinal herb, and is partially 

 naturalized in many places.- It has a weed-like appearance, but does not 

 incline to spread much, and may well be tolerated to some extent, for 

 its valuable tonic properties. The Syrups and Candies, prepared from 

 or with it, are excellent pectoral medicines. 



