87 



GENUS F7.— M E L I S S A. Lhm. 



Calyx tubular, wth 13 stria^, Ijilahiate; upper lip 3-toothetl, spreading, 

 tlio lower 2-tootliecl, erect. Corolla hilahiate, the tube longer than the 

 calyx, and bent upwards; upper lip concave, notched, the lower 3-lobed, 

 with the niitldle lobe rather larger than the others. Stamens 4, con- 

 verging at the apex under the upper lip of the corolla; anther-cells at 

 length diverging at the base, contiguous and united at the apex. 



Aromatic herbs, with stalked, ovate, rugose leaves, and few-floAvercd 

 verticillasters of white flowers often spotted with lilac. 



The origin of the name of tliis genus of plants is from niKiaaa (a bee), or Md 

 (honey), because bees arc fond of it. 



SPECIES I.-MELISS A OFFICINALIS. Li,..,. 



Pl.\te JILIII. 



Vch-1,. Ic Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVin. Tab. MCCLXI. 

 BiUot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. E.xsicc. No. 3177. 



Stem erect, branched. Leaves broadly oblong-ovate, truncate or 

 cordate at the base, deeply crenate-serrate, rugose. Bracts oval or 

 rhombic-ovate, similar to the leaves ; bracteoles few, elliptical. Verti- 

 cillasters shortly stalked, few-flowered, distant, sub-secund. Corolla 

 half as long again as the calyx. 



By roadsides and hedge-banks. Naturalised in many places in 

 ICngland. I have gathered it between Cowes and Newport, Isle of 

 ^\'ight, at Claygate, and between Kew and Richmond, Surrey, and 

 have seen it from the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Gloucester, a)id 

 Momnouth, also from Jersej'. 



[England.] Perennial. Autunni. 



Rootstock veiy shortly creeping, so that the plant grows in compact 

 tufts. Stem stout, straight, much branched, with the branches ascending. 

 Lamina of the leaves 1 to 3 inches long, -VN-ith the veins deeply im- 

 pressed on the upper surface and prominent beneath. Whorls separate, 

 commencing above the middle of the stem, and also occupying the 

 greater part of the upper branches. Bracts longer than the whorls, 

 tiimilar to the leaves, but with shorter stalks, and generally more 

 narrowed at the base. Calyx distinctly 2-lipped ; the central tooth of 

 the upi)er lip deltoid, cuspidate, with the midrib excurrent, the lateral 

 ones with the midrib much nearer the outside than the inner margin, 

 all slightly recurved ; the 2 lower rather longer, broadly triangular- 

 subulate. Corolla white, sometimes spotted with rose, tube slightly 

 curved. Plant bright green, subglabrous, or more rarely hairy, very 

 fragrant, the scent resembling that of Aloysia citriodora. 



