LABIATE. 415 



rising erect to the height of 1 or 2 feet. Leaves stalked, ovate, and toothed, 

 1 to 2 inches long, or the upper ones smaller. Flowers all in axillary 

 whorls, mostly shorter than the leafstalks ; the last pair of leaves without 

 any or with only very few flowers. Calyx campanulate, seldom above a line 

 long, with short teeth. Corolla twice as long. 



In fields and moist places, in temperate and northern Europe and Kus- 

 sian Asia ; rarer to the southward, but introduced with cultivation into 

 many other parts of the globe. Abundant in Britain, although less so than 

 the water M., and, like that species, becomes rarer towards the north of 

 Scotland. Fl. sztmmer and autumn. It varies much in stature, in hau'iness, 

 in the size of the leaves, etc. 



8. Pennsrroyal Slint. dentha Pulegium, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1026. Pennyroyal.) 



A prostrate, much branched perennial, with the leaves very much smaller 

 than in any other Mint, being seldom above half an inch long, and quite 

 entire or seldom slightly orenate ; the floral ones still smaller, and often re- 

 curved. Flowers in dense axillary whorls, like those of the corn M., except 

 that the calyx-teeth are less regular, with the mouth closed by hairs, and 

 the upper lobe of the corolla is more evidently notched, thus showing a 

 slight approach to the characters of Thyme. 



In wet ditches, and marshy places, most abundant in the Mediterranean 

 region, but extending over Europe and western Asia, and introduced into 

 other parts of the world. Scattered over the greater part of England and 

 southern Ireland, but appears to have been falsely indicated in Scotland, 

 Fl. end of summer. 



IV. THYME. THYMUS. 



Low, much branched, spreading or procumbent undershrubs or herbs, 

 with small leaves, usually entire, and flowers in terminal leafy heads or loose 

 spikes. Calyx 2-lipped ; the upper hp 3-toothed, the lower 2-cleft, the 

 mouth closed with hairs after flowering. CoroUa with the upper lip erect, 

 nearly flat ; the lower spreading, broadly 3-lobed. Stamens (when perfect) 4, 

 the lower ones diverging, as long as or longer than the corolla. 



The genus comprises several species, chiefly from the Mediterranean region 

 and central Asia, where they are very variable and often difficult to deter- 

 mine. In northern Europe, however, there is but one species wild. The 

 garden Thyme, so much cultivated as a potherb, is the T. vzilgaris, irom. 

 southern Europe. 



1. V^ild Thyme. Thymus Serpyllum, Lmn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1514. T. Chammdrys, Bab. Man.) 

 Stems procumbent, slender, very much branched, perennial, and hard but 

 scarcely woody at the base, forming low dense tufts, ft'om a few inches to 

 near a foot in diameter, and often almost covered with the purple flowers. 

 Leaves very small, ovate or oblong, fringed at the base by a very few long 

 hairs on each side ; the floral leaves similar but smaller. Flowers usually 

 6 in the whorl, without any other bracts than the floral leaves, fonuing 

 short, terminal, loose, leafy spikes. Calyx usually haii-y, and the whole 

 plajit sometimes covered, with shovt,. rather ptifi", hoary hairs. 



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