24 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Var. [6, erecta. 

 Plate MXLH, ' 



Flowering stem stout, erect, or sub-erect, straight, not rooting at the 

 nodes. 



On moist heaths and commons, and by the sides of pools. Sparingly 

 distributed over England, becoming rare in the north. In Scotland it 

 has been gathered near the church of Birnie, Elgin, but certainly 

 introduced. It appears to be widely but locally spread over Ireland. 

 Yar. 3 I have seen from Great Island, Co. Cork, collected by Mr. 

 Carroll. 



England, [Scotland,] Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, Autumn. 



Stems 3 inches to 1 foot long, with the barren shoots sj^reading 

 above ground, and leafy. Leaves rather thick, 5 to 1 inch long, gra- 

 dually attenuated into the short petioles. Verticillasters globular, 

 often as long as the reciu'ved bracts, diminished in size towards the 

 apex of the stem. Flowers \ inch long, with the limb purplish rose. 

 Calyx reddish purple, Avith 10 strong ribs, varying in the length of the 

 hairs with which it is closed ; in fruit contracted above the muscles, 

 and closed wth white hairs, the upper teeth then slightly recurved. 

 Stamens very long. Plant deep gi'een, with a powerful agreeable odour, 

 varying much in pubescence, being sometimes nearly glabrous, at 

 others densely clothed with white woolly hairs. 



In var. 3, the stem is much stouter, -with short branches, with the 

 barren shoots produced only at the base ; the verticillasters are more 

 numerous and closer together; the calyx teeth rather longer and more 

 acute. 



Tenny-royal. 

 Frencli, Menthe fouliut. German, Polei. 

 This species of mint is supposed to have been the yXi/xwi' of the ancient Greeks, 

 and the Puleium or Pulegium of the Romans. It has been supposed to drive away 

 fleas ; hence its Roman name and its Inodern specific name. Dr. Prior tells us that 

 its common name, Penny-royal, comes fi'om the Latin Pulegium regium, through the 

 Dutch Poley, in old herbals called Puliol-royal. It is also called Pudding G-rasf:, from 

 being used to make stuffings for meat, formerly called puddings. It is sometimes 

 kiiowTi to the country people as " Run by the ground " and " Lurk in the ditch," 

 from its manner of growth. Gerarde speaks of it as being found abundantly on a 

 common " at Mile End, near London, about the holes and ponds thereof, in sundrie 

 places, from whence poore women bring plenty to sell in London markets." The 

 whole herb contains an essential oil, resembling in properties that of other mints, but 

 less powerful. In former times it was highly esteemed as a medicine. P liny, b 

 whom it is called Pulegium, gives a long list of disorders for which it was a supposed 

 remedy, and especially recommends it for hanging in sleeping-rooms, it being con- 

 sidoiod by physicians as more conducive to health than even roses. We suspect it 

 was in a great measure used as a substitute for ventilation, to cover the ill odours 



