MINT FAMILY 



LABIATAE 



AMERICAN PENNYROYAL 



Hedeoma pulegioides (L.) Pers. 



Though small and inconspicuous, the American Pennyroyal 

 is certain to attract our attention by the delightful fragrance of 

 its foliage. One familiar with the odor can identify the plant by 

 it alone. Oil of Pennyroyal is often used 

 by campers to drive away mosquitoes, 

 andf it has very powerful medicinal 

 properties. 



The plant is an annual that grows in 

 dry open places from Quebec to Minne- 

 sota and south to Arkansas and Florida, 

 and blooms from July to September. The 

 slender branches stems grow 6-18 inches 

 high and are covered with fine soft hairs. 

 The oblong-ovate leaves are petioled, 

 somewhat toothed and have a pleasant 

 pungent taste. 



A few bluish purple flowers are loosely 

 arranged in each axillary cluster. The 

 calyx is hairy and slightly 2-iipped, with 

 the 3 upper teeth acute and the 1 lower, 

 of equal length, awl shaped and bristling. 

 The upper of the 2 corolla lips is flat and 

 notched at the end, but the lower is 

 spreading and 3-cleft. Stamens are 4 but 

 2 are rudimentary, without anthers. 

 The ovary is deeply 4-parted and the 

 style is 2-cleft at the top. The fruit con- 

 sists of 4 smooth ovoid nutlets. 



Likewise strongly aromatic and addicted to crowded colonies 

 but even more insignificant singly is the Rough Pennyroyal, Hedeoma 

 hispida Pursh, an inhabitant of open dry woodland knolls through- 

 out the state. It is low and almost unbranched, with numerous 

 narrow, stiff leaves one-half to 1 inch long and entire. Innumerable 

 tiny bluish purple flowers are borne in dense axillary clusters. The 

 densely hairy bracts and calyx are sharp pointed and almost burlike. 

 This is a plant of dry plains from Louisiana and Arkansas north- 

 west to Illinois, Colorado and beyond. It flowers from May to 

 August. 



And I beheld in a sequestered place 



A slender crocus show its sun-bright face. 



The Crocus Flame — Clinton Scollard 



288 



