LABIAT^E. 53 



of the Forth and Clyde, except as an introduced plant; as such it is 

 reported by Dr. Dickie from Keig and Castle Forbes, and by the 

 Kev. Dr. G. Gordon from Moray. Rare in Ireland, and chiefly in 

 the south and east. 



Of var. Q I have seen characteristic si)eciniens, only from ' the 

 lane leading from Briardean Barn to Hartley,' Northumberland, col- 

 lected by the late Mr. J. Storey : but forms of var. a approaciiing it occur 

 in many parts of the country. Prof. Babington says it is common in 

 Herefordshire, but the Bev. W. H. Purchas has not boon able to lind it 

 there. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer, Autumn. 



Stems 1 to 3 feet high (or evenmore, when growing in hedges), bluntly 

 quadrangular, branched, usually flcxuous. Leaves of the barren shoots 

 and those at the base of the (lowering stem on long stalks 1 to 2 inches 

 long, roundish, cordate, obtuse ; those on the rest of the flowering stem 

 and the bracts more or less rhomboidal-ovate, roundish or wedgeshaped 

 at the base, often subacute, variable in the dentition of the margins 

 Verticillasters occupying a great portion of the stem, many-flowered ; 

 cymes shortly stalked, with the lateral branches rather elongate, the 

 flowers themselves Avith scarcely any pedicels. Calyx about iJ inch 

 long in flower, only slightly enlarged in fruit; tube cylindrical and 

 gradually enlarged uj)wards, with 10 very prominent hairy ribs; limb 

 more or less spreading, much shorter than the tube, with elevated 

 anastomosing veins, very variable in the shape of the teeth, and the 

 length of the spines formed by the excurrent midribs of the sepals. 

 Corolla about I to i^ inch long, purplish rose, variegated with white 

 on the loAVer lip, hairy on the outside and on the inside of the upper 

 lip, which is erect, nearly entire, slightly vaulted; lower lip 3-lobed, 

 with the middle lobe largest and deeply notched or obcordate. Plant 

 dull dark green, sometimes hoary, from the quantity of pubescence, 

 which is very variable. 



Var. is certaiidy inseparable even as a sub-species from var. a; 

 the form of the calyx-teeth is liable to variation even in different 

 flowers from the same root. 



Black Horehound. 



French, Ballolte noire. German, schwarzer Goltesvergcss. 



This plant is used in London as a cattle medicine, and in ancient times it had a 

 reputation in human diseases, but its virtues are very doubtful. 



GENUS A7 1 '.— S T A C H Y S. Linn. {Benth. ) 



Calyx tubular, scarcely enlarging in fruit, nearly regular; limb 

 ascending or at length spreading, with 5 spinous-poijited teeth. Corolla 



