360 Verbcnacccc Vitcx. 



3. VITEX. 



A considerable genus of trees and shrubs. Leaves digitately 

 compound or simple. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, pani- 

 culate or cymose. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla salver-shaped ; 

 limb oblique, 5- or 6-lobed, obscurely 2-lipped. Fruit dry, 4- 

 celled. The majority of the species are tropical, a few reach- 

 ing the Mediterranean Sea and China. A classical name applied 

 to a Willow, or some other shrub with flexible branches. 



1. V. Agnus-Castus. Chaste-tree. An aromatic shrub 6 

 to 12 feet high. Leaves digitately 5- to 7-foliolate ; leaflets 

 lanceolate-acuminate, quite entire, and clothed with a white 

 tomentum on the lower surface. Flowers small, violet, in ter- 

 minal interrupted paniculate spikes. A native of the South 

 of Europe. 



OEDEE LXXXIV. LABIAT^E. 



Herbaceous or shrubby plants, frequently furnished 1 with 

 immersed glands of aromatic fragrant oil. Stems usually 

 4-angled. Leaves opposite or verticillate, simple or compound. 

 Flowers in axillary cymes or solitary or capitate. Calyx inferior, 

 tubular, ribbed, 5- or 10-toothed or bilabiate. Corolla usually 

 bilabiate, the upper lip overlapping the lower in bud. Stamens 

 4 and didynamous, or only 2. Fruit composed of 4 (rarely 

 fewer) 1-seeded nutlets enclosed in the persistent calyx. Seeds 

 erect, with little or no albumen. A very large and very natural 

 assemblage of plants, comprising about 2,500 species, chiefly 

 inhabiting temperate and tropical countries. The order is 

 abundantly represented in Britain and in the herb garden. 

 Sage, Sdlvia ojjicinalis ; Spearmint, MentJia viridis ; Pepper- 

 mint, M. piperlta ; Thyme, Thymus vulgaris ; Marjoram, 

 Origanum vulgar e ; and Basil, Ocymum Basilicum, are 

 amongst the most familiar. 



1. COLEUS. 



A genus of tropical herbs and shrubs, valuable for the 

 brilliantly-coloured foliage of the species in general cultiva- 

 tion. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, and borne in 

 terminal spikes of verticillasters. Calyx campanulate ; limb 

 5-toothed or bilabiate, recurved in fruit. Corolla with a 



