MENTHA — MINT. 207 



Speedwell has been considered diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, etc., 

 but is seldom employed, and probably possesses very little medicinal 

 virtue. 



LABIATE. 



CJiaractcr of Ihe Order. — Herbs, rarely luidershrubs, -with Rqtiare stems, 

 and opposite, exstipulate leaves. Calyx tubular, 5- to lO-tootlicd or 2- 

 lipped, persistent Corolla more or less 2-lipped ; the upper lip 2-l()bod, or 

 sometimes entire ; the lower 3-lobed. Stamens 4, didynamous, or by abor- 

 tion 2, inserted on the tube of the corolla. Ovary deeply 4-lobed ; style 2- 

 lobed at the apex. Fruit 4 seed-like nutlets or achenia, enclosed in the 

 calyx. 



Foliage commonly dotted witli glands containing aromatic volatile oil. 

 Flowers axillary, chiefly in cymose clusters, and these frequently aggre- 

 gated in terminal spikes or racemes. 



A very large order of aromatic plants, wholly destitute of deleterious 

 or i:)oisoiious properties. Very many of them have been cultivated for 

 culinary or medicdnal purposes from time immemorial, hence a large per- 

 centage of the valuable species at present inhabiting North America have 

 been introduced. 



TEUCRIUM.— Gkumanoeu. 



Teucrium Canadense Linnc. — American Germander, Wond-Sar/e. 



Description. — Calyx oblicpK*, unequtilly 5-toothed. Corolla Avith the 4 

 upper lobes nearly e<iuid, oblong, turned forward ; the lower much larger. 

 Stamens 4, exserted from a cleft between the two upper lobes of the corolla. 



An herbaceous perennial. Stem erect, 1 to 3 feet high. Leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate, acute, serrate, rounded at the base, petiolate ; the upper ones 

 scarcely longer than the c;dyx. Both stem and leaves hoary-pubescent. 

 Flowers pale purple to white, in whorls of about 0, crowded in a long sim- 

 ple raceme ; they tipjiear about midsummer. 



Habitat. — In low ground from Canada to Florida. 



Parts Used. — The herb — not official. 



Constituents. — A vf)latile oil, a bitter principle, and tannin. 



Preparations. — Commonly employed in infusion. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — Germander, both American and European 

 species, possesses the stimulant and aromatic properties of labiate plants 

 generally, and has been emijloyed as a diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, 

 etc. _ . _.— ^ - - 



MENTHA.— Mint. 



Character of the Genus.— Calyx 5-toothed, regular or nearly so. Corolla 

 "bell-shaped, with a short tube, the margin nearly equally 4-lobed. Stamens 

 4, erect, equidistant 



