16 ENGLISH BOTAXr. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer and 

 Autumn. 



This plant is exceedingly near to M. hirsuta, the only difference 

 being the separation of the whorls of flowers, and var. 6 presents an 

 intermediate state, Avhich appears to connect them. It varies much in 

 size and in the degree of hairiness. The stem is rarely more than 2 to 3 

 feet high, much branched when luxuriant, and often more or less 

 decumbent. The flowers, except in var. 7, are smaller and more purple 

 than in M. hirsuta. 



M. acutifolia, Sin. E. B. 2415, is considered as a form of var. a by 

 Mr. Baker; it was found on the banks of the Medway by Band. 



Marsh Whorled Mint. 



French, Menthe cultivee. German, Edelminze. 



SPECIES X.— M ENTHA RUBRA. Sm. 

 Plate MXXXUI. 



Baker, Joum. Bot. 18G5, p. 248. 



M. arvensis, var. rubra, Bentli. in B.G. Prod. Vol. XII. p. 172. 



M. sativa, var. /5, rubra, Bah. Man. Brit. Bot. ed. v. p. 254. Hool:. & Am. Brit. FI. 



p. 325. 

 M. sativa, (i, glabra, Koch, Syn. ed. ii. p. 634. Sole, Brit. Mints, 1. c. p. 47, p. 24. 

 M. sativa, Fries, Nov. Fl. Suec. ed. ii. p. 184. 



Leaves conspicuously stalked, ovate or ovate-oval or oval, rounded 

 at the base, subacute, serrate or crenate-serrate, subglabrous or rarely 

 sparingly hairy on both sides, hairy on the veins beneath. Flowers in 

 whorls which are all separate, usually beginning about the middle of 

 the stem. Bracts all similar to the leaves, the upper ones smaller, 

 the uppermost ones often without flowers; bracteoles strapshaped- 

 subulate, ciliated, shorter than the flowers. Pedicels glabrous. Calj-x 

 glabrous or subglabrous at the base, cylindrical-campanulate ; teeth 

 triangular, acuminated into subulate points, two-thirds the length of 

 the tube, hairy and ciliated. Corolla twice as long as the calyx, glab- 

 rous without and within. 



In wet places. Sparingly but generally distributed throughout 

 England. Apparently rare in Scotland, where I have gathered it 

 only on the banks of the Esk above Musselburgh. Rare in Ireland, 

 l)ut noticed in the extreme south, and also in the north of that island. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Autumn. 



M. rubra comes extremely near the var. subglabra of the preceding 

 species, but it is a larger plnnt, the stem sometimes attaining 4 or 5 feet, 

 and more flexuous ; the flowers arc larger, moi'e conspicuous and redder; 



