THE MINT FAMILY. 



440 



also from Europe and Asia, has perhaps secured its strong foothold in this 

 country through the transportation of its seeds in ballast. It is a cheerful 

 little thing and blooms in succession from April until October. 



Mentha spicata^ our lady's mint, more generally called spearmint, and 

 Mentha piperita, peppermint, or brandy-mint, are both naturalised in this 

 country and well known inhabitants of wet or sparsely moist soil. 



AMERICAN GERMANDER. WOOD SAGE. 



Tciicrium Caiiadense. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Mint. rurplisk. Foliage frag rajit. Florida to New Brutis- J une-^eptinucr . 



■wick and ^vcst'ward. 



Flcnvcrs : growing densely in a long, terminal spike, the lower bracts of which 

 are considerably larger than the upper ones. Calyx : campanulatc, with five pu- 

 bescent teeth, the ui)per three of which are usually obtuse and shorter. CotolUi- 

 tube : short, the five lobes irregular. Stamens : four, in pairs, the anterior pair the 

 longer and exserted between the two upper lobes of the corolla. Lc'arrs : lanceo- 

 late, with slender petioles and narrowed at the base ; irregularly dentate; yellow- 

 green above and silvery velvety below, pubescent. Stem: one to two feet high; 

 mostly simple or branched; slender; covered with a greyish pubescence. 



No matter how often we run across them, however weedy-looking they 

 may be, there is something about the mints that makes them always wel- 

 come. Perhaps it is because their foliage is rich in a volatile oil which 

 causes them to exhale a pungent, invigourating odour. Clean-cut and fresh 

 they usually are, sometimes tall and very handsome, never losing in any case 

 the family resemblance. 



This particular one grows in marshes and moist, sandy soil. Througii 

 our range it is the commonest of its genus and is named for the Trojan 

 king, Teucer. 



BLUE=CURLS. BASTARD PENNYROYAL. 



Trichostnia dichotoniuju. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Mint. Deep blue turning Fragrant. Florida to Maine and J uly-i\tol-er. 



to pit rple. zvestiva rd. 



Fhnvers: solitarv, or growing in slender panicles at the ends of twice-bractcd 

 ])eduncles. Calyx: campanula'te ; very unequally five-lobed ; pubescent. Corolla- 

 tube: short, the^limb deeply five-cleft. 6'/</w///j .• violet, five, exserted, curved. 

 Pistil: one; style two-lobed. Leaves: oblong, or oblong-lanceolate, blunt at the 

 apex and narrowed into a short petiole at the base, entire, clammy. Stem: slen- 

 der; stiff, much-branched and covered with a viscid pubescence. 



To many the personality of blue-curls appeals as with a subtle magnetism. 

 I have heard it called " the dearest little plant," and cpiaint it surely is with 

 a look of being elaborately wrought, for a thing so small. Many also 

 delight in its rather peculiar fragrance, while to others it is strongly objec- 



