46 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



the corolla, furnished with a pointed appendage beneath the antliers ; 

 anther-cells distinct, divaricate, each cell opening by a separate longi- 

 tudinal cleft. Nucules sessile, smooth. 



Herbs with entire or pinnatifid leaves, the floral ones bractlike, 

 imbricated. Verticillasters few-flowered, arranged in a dense terminal 

 spike. 



The name of this genua is derived from Pruna, a burning coal, because it heals the 

 efifects of a burn, or, as some authors say, from the German die Briiune, sore throat, 

 from its efficacy in such cases. 



SPECIES I.— P RUNELLA VULGARIS. Lbm. 



Plate MLIX. 



Hdch. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVIII. Tab. MCCXXIII. Fig. 2. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2902. 



Leaves (except occasionally the uppermost pair) all shortly 

 stalked, ovate or oblong ovate or oblong-lanceolate, entire, repand or 

 serrate or (rarely) the upper ones puinatifid, the uppermost pair gene- 

 rally immediately beloAv the spike. Upper lip of the calyx with 3 

 veiy minute teeth, which are frequently mucronate, from the ribs being 

 excurrent ; loAver lip of 2 lanceolate acuminate teeth divided half way 

 down the lip, terminating in weak spines. Corolla scarcely twice as 

 long as the calyx. Longer pair of filaments with a straight subulate 

 point below the anther. 



In meadows, pastures, hedgebanks, and cultivated ground, heatlis, 

 and open woods. Very common, and generally distributed. 



England, Scotland, L-eland. Perennial. Summer, Autumn. 



Rootstock shortly creeping. Central stem erect or ascending, 3 to 

 18 inches high ; lateral stems generally decumbent ; branches spreading, 

 or in small specimens reduced to fascides of leaves. Leaves with the 

 lamina longer than the petiole, f to 3 mches long, generally subacute, 

 but sometimes obtuse ; in British specimens nearly entire or toothed, but 

 in continental ones sometnnes pinnatifid. Spikes terminating the stem 

 and branches, oblong-cylindrical, very dense, f to 4 inches long. Bracts 

 ovate-reniform, cuspidate, green with purple margins, ciliated Avith 

 pointed hairs. Calyx J inch long, pvn-ple (pale green in white flowi-red 

 varieties); the up[)er teeth very short; all ciliated with pointed hairs. 

 Corolla i to f inch long, dull purplish blue, rarely white. Nucules 

 oblong-ovoid, compressed-trigonous, yellowish brown, shining, very 

 finely shagreened. Plant thinly clothed witli jointed hairs, deep 

 green, the leaves paler below, and, as well as the stems, frequently tinged 

 with purple. 



