LAniAT^r:. 33 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Annual or Biennial. Summer 



Autumn. 



Stems brancliinn; at the base, otherwise simple or nearly so in annual 

 plants: in bieiuiial ones there is a short rootstock rootin;^ at the nodes, 

 and the steins are frequently considerably branched. Leaves shortly 

 stalked, jjradually uttemiated into the petiole; lamina thick, ^ to .^ inch 

 lon<r, with the veins prominent beneath. Bracts all similar to the 

 leaves, liut rather smaller and narrower. Pedicels shorter than the calyx. 

 Calyx \ inch lonfr, with 10 bristly ribs, contracted at the throat, which 

 is closed by white hairs. Corolla about i inch long, bluish j)urple, 

 variegated with white on the lower lip, in the middle of which there is 

 a purple spot. Fruiting calyx remarkably eidarged at the base below. 

 Nucules dark brown, ovoid, slightly compressed. Plant varying much 

 in the degree of hairiness; the underside of the leaves generally 

 glabrous except on the veins ; stem w\th woolly spreading or recurved 

 hairs, showing a tendency to confine themselves to 2 strips. 



Basil Thi/me. 



French, Calamcnt des Champs. German, FcM-CalamhitJic. 

 This plant, according to Parkinson, is so called " because the smell thereof is so 

 excellent that it is fit for a King's house." It was a great favourite with the old 

 herbalists. Gerarde enumerates twelve distinct uses to which it may be applied 

 without fear of failure. Among them we find that " it cureth them that arc bitten of 

 serpents ; being burned or strewed, it drives serpents away ; it takes away black and 

 blew spots that come by blows or by beatings, making the skinne faire and white ; 

 but for such things, .'seuth Galen, it is better to be laid to greenc than dry." 



Sub-Genus III.— EU-CALAMINTHA. Gren. and Godr. 



Verticillasters many-flowered, the cymes with a more or less distinct 

 common peduncle. Bracteoles few, minute, lanceolate-subulate, not 

 forming an involucre to the whorls. Calyx tube straight. 



SPECIES III.— C ALAMINTHA NEPETA. CUiir. 



Plate MXLIX. 



Billol, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2S1. 

 Jord. Obs. sur Plantes nouv. &c. Frag. iv. p. 12. 

 Thymus Nepeta, Sm. Engl. Bot. No. 1414. 

 Melissa Nepeta, Linv. Sp. PI. p. R'28 (non Herb.). 



Stems with short suberect lateral branches. Leaves ovate or del- 

 toid- or broadly rhombic-ovate, subobtuse, remotely crenate-serrate. 

 Flowers in a long slender sub-uiulatcral panicle; verticillasters all 

 longer than the bracts, stalked ; peduncle much shorter than the bract, 

 nearly as long as the pedicel of the central flower of the cyme. Calyx 



VOL vii. F 



