482 LABIATE. 



. . . Peper-Mint."^ Dale, who found the plant in the adjoining county 

 of Essex, states^ that it is esteemed a specific in renal and vesical cal- 

 culus; and Ray, in the third edition of his Synopsis, declares it superior 

 to all other mints as a remedy for weakness of the stomach and for 

 diarrhoea. Peppermint was admitted to the London Pharmacopoeia in 

 1721, under the designation o^ Mentha piperitis sapore. 



The cultivation of peppermint at Mitcham in Surrey dates from about 

 1750,^ at which period only a few acres of ground were there devoted to 

 medicinal plants. At the end of the last century, above 100 acres were 

 cropped with peppermint. But so late as 1S05 there were no stills at 

 Mitcham, and the herb had to be carried to London for the extraction of 

 the oil. Of late years the cultivation has diminished in extent, by reason 

 of the increased value of land and the competition of foreign oil of 

 peppermint. 



On the Continent Mentha Piperitis was grown as early as 1771 at 

 Utrecht; Gaubius* appears to have been the first to notice " Ganfipliora 

 Europoia Menthce Piperitidis," i.e. Menthol (see page 483). 



In Germany peppermint became practically known in the latter 

 half of the last century, especially through the recommendation of 

 Knigge.' 



Description — The rootstock of peppermint is perennial, throwing 

 out runners. The stem is erect, 3 to 4 feet high, when luxuriant some- 

 what branched below with erecto-patent branches, firm, quadrangular, 

 slightly hairy, often tinged with purple. Leaves all stalked, the stalks of 

 the lower -| to | of an inch long, naked or nearly so, the leaf lanceolate, 

 narrowed or rather rounded towards the base, the point narrowed out and 

 acute, the lowest 2 to 3 inches long by about f of an inch broad, naked 

 and dull green above, paler and glandular all over, but only slightly hairy 

 upon the veins beneath; the teeth sharp, fine, and erecto-patent. Inflor- 

 escence in a loose lanceolate or acutely conical spike, 2 to 3 inches long by 

 about I of an inch broad at thebase,the lowestwhorls separate, and usually 

 the lowest bracts leaf-like. Bracteoles lanceolate acuminate, about 

 equalling the expanded flowers, slightly ciliated. Pedicels 1 to 1| lines 

 long, purplish, glandular but not hairy. Calyx often purplish, the tube 

 about 1 line long and the teeth \ a line, the tube campanulate-cylindi'ical, 

 purplish, not hairy, but dotted over with prominent glands; the teeth 

 lanceolate subulate, furnished with short erecto-patent hairs. Corolla 

 reddish purple about twice as long as the calyx, naked both within and 

 without. Nut smooth*^ (mgose, according to our observation). The 

 odour and taste are strongly aromatic. 



In var. 2. vulgaris of Sole, 3f. pipeHta /3. Smith, the plant is more 

 hairy, with the spikes broader and shorter, or even bluntly capitate. 



Chemical Composition— The constituent for the sake of which 

 peppermint is cultivated is the essential oil. Oleum Menthce pipeHtce, a 



^ I have examined the original specimen * Adversariorum varii argumenli liber 



still preserved among Ray's plants in the nmts, Leidse, 1771. 99. 



British Museum and find it to agree per- * De Mentlid Piptritide Commenfatio, 



fectly with the plant now in cultivation.^ — Erlangse, 1780. 



D. H. 6 This description is borrowed from Mr. 



* Pharmacologice Supplementum, Lond. Baker's paper on the English Mints, re- 

 1705. 117. f erred to at page 480, note 1. 



* Lyaona, Environs 0/ London,!. (1800)254:. 



