LABIATJE. 



207 



Use — Catuip is au important article in the materia tnedica of the matron. 

 Tea niade of the dried leaves, stems, and Hower-buds is administered to mfauts 

 to relieve pains in the bowels and to promote sleep. Herbal practitioners 

 claim for it the qualities of a febrifuge, carn.inative, tonic, and soporifac. and 

 a slight narcotic. 



MARRUBIUM, L. Calvx tubular, woolly, 5-U)-toothed, with a 

 correspondino- number of strii^, teeth erect or spreading, setaceous, 

 alternately shorter, erect or hooked ; corolla 2-lipped, upper lip erect, 

 tlattish, sometimes divided, lower lip spreading, nearly flat or con- 

 cave :3-lobed, middle lobe largest and notched, tube the length of 

 the calyx; stamens shorter than corolla, 4 in number; filaments 

 parallel under the upper side of corolla; anthers 2-ceUed; verticils 

 manv-flowered, globose, with slender bracts. Leaves w'oolly and 

 wrinkled, rounded at the base, serrate; floral leaves similar to the 

 others in form. Flowers white or purple. Perennial herbs. 



No. of species, 30. 



M. vulgare, L. (Hoarhound.) 

 Stem 12 to 18 inches in height, 

 hoary, branching at the base, or 

 numerous stems from the same 

 root. Leaves ovate, rounded at 

 the base, crenate-toothed, wrinkled, 

 hoary, lighter underneath, on short 

 stalks. Flowers white, sessile, in 

 dense, globose verticils ; nutlets 

 dark-broAvn, obovate, and truncate. 

 July. 



Geographf/. — It is native in the 

 countries of the Levant, the Pelo- 

 ponnesus, and other regions around 

 the Mediterranean Sea. It is at 

 the present day found growing in 



gardens all over Europe in the temperate zone. It was brought to the 

 Atlantic States in America by European colonists, and escaping from gar- 

 dens is found growing without cultivation about dwellings. It is found 

 throughout the temperate zone in Europe, Asia, and America, keeping pace 

 with civilization. 



Etymologi/. — Marrubiu7n is derived from Marniviim, an ancient city of 

 Italv, on the shore of Lake Fucine. Vulgare, the specific name, signifies 

 " common." Hoarhound, the common name, is due to the hoary appearance 

 of the plant ; hound is from houn, " bitter," or " disagreeable." 



//i.s7o/-_y. — This j.lant was known in the days of Theopiirastus. IMiny, wiio 

 lived 300 years later, also speaks of it. In "those days the plant had a high 

 reputation for curing pulmonary dise.ases. 



Use. — A» a remedy, the ancients attached great value to hoarhound, and 

 more particularly for pulmonary diseases. At the present day it is a popular 

 domestic remedy for coughs, colds, and affections of the lungs, administered 

 in teas, syrups, and candies. The hoarhound has au aromatic smell, but a 

 verv bitter flavor. 



MARRUBIUM ^•ULGARE (Hoarhouud). 



