LABIATE. 419 



oblong spikes at the ends of the branches, ivith frequently one or two clus- 

 ters a little lower down. Calyx softly downy, nearly as long as the tube of 

 the coroUa. 



In hedges, on roadsides and waste places, throughout Europe and 

 central and Russian Asia, excejjt the extreme north. Tolerably frequent in 

 the south and centre of England, and in Ireland ; less so in the north, 

 and rare in Scotland. Fl. summer, rather late. 



yin. PRUNELLA. PEUNELLA. 



Low, branching, hairy perennials, with the flowers in whorls of 6, but 

 collected into dense terminal heads, with broad, bract-like floral leaves 

 under each whorl, and no real bracts. Calyx 2-lipped,the upper lip flat, 

 the lower deeply 2-lobed, the mouth not closed with hairs. Upper lip of 

 the corolla erect, concave, short, broad, and nearly entire ; the lower one 

 spreading, 3-lobed. Stamens 4, in pairs under the upper lip, each filament 

 with a small tooth below the anthers. 



A very distinct genus, containing, besides the British one, but two 

 species, both natives of the continent of Europe ; one of which, P. grandi- 

 flora, chiefly distinguished by the large size of its flowers, is often culti- 

 vated in cottage-gardens. 



1. Common Prunella. Prunella vulg^aris Lirni. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 961. Self-heal.) 



Stem procumbent or creeping, and rooting at the base, with ascending 

 flowering branches, sometimes 2 or 3 inches, rarely near a foot high. 

 Leaves stalked, ovate, and nearly entire. Spikes of flowers at first very 

 short but lengthening out to 1 or even 2 inches, with a pair of leaves close 

 under it. Corolla usually of a violet purple, about 6 lines long, but varying 

 much in size and depth of colom- ; the upper lip bends over the lower one, 

 which is scarcely longer, with a broad, finely toothed middle lobe. 



In pastures, on banks, etc., especially in rather moist situations, tlu-ough- 

 out Europe and central and Russian Asia, to the Arctic regions, extendmg 

 also over many parts of North America, penetrating into the tropical moun- 

 tains of America and Asia, and reappearing in Australia. Abundant in 

 Britain. FL summer and autumn. In some counties it varies much more 

 than in Britain, in statm-e and foHage, as weU as in the size and colour of 

 the flowers. 



IX. SKUIiLCAP. SCUTELLARIA. 



Herbs (rarely shrubby in some exotic species), usually rather weak or 

 stragghng, with the flowers always solitary in the axil of each leaf, either 

 aU in distant axillary pairs, or, in some exotic species, forming terminal 

 spikes or racemes. Calyx divided into 2 lips, both entire ; the upper one 

 bsaring on its back a hollow, scale-like protuberance. CoroUa with a rather 

 long tube, and small, nearly closed lips, the upper one concave, the lower 

 one 3-lobed. Stamens 4, in pairs, the anthers of the lower 'pair 1-celled. 

 Nuts raised on a short, oblique or curved stalk. 



A rather large genus, widely distributed over the temperate and some 

 of the warmer regions of the globe, and easily recognized, either by its 

 inflorescence, calyx, stamens, or ovary and fruit. 



