422 THE LABIATE FAMILY. 



1. Betony Stachys. Stachys Betonica, Eeuth. 

 (Betoniea officinalis, Eng. Bot. t. 1142. Betony.) 



A perennial, 1 to 2 feet high, more or less downy or hairy, but not woolly. 

 Leaves mostly radical, oblong, coarsely crenate and cordate at the base; the 

 upper ones few and distant, on short stalks or quite sessile, narrower and 

 not cordate. Flowers in several dense whorls, collected in a close ter- 

 minal, oblong head or spike, with an ovate or lanceolate bract under each 

 calyx. Calyx-teeth erect, very pointed, almost prickly. Tube of the corolla 

 considerably longer than the calyx ; the upper lip ovate, erect, and slightly 

 concave, about the length of the lower one. Anther-cells more distinct and 

 less divergent than in the rest of the genus, or almost parallel. 



In woods and thickets, all over Europe and Russiaii Asia, except the 

 extreme north. Abimdant in England and southern Ireland, extending into 

 the southern counties of Scotland. Fl. swmmer. Many botanists retain for 

 this and a few exotic species the Linnsean genus Betonica, 



2, Do'wuy Stachys. Stachys germanica, Linn'. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 829. Woimdwort.) 



An erect, branching perennial, 1 to 3 feet high, remarkable for the long, 

 whitish, silky hairs which cover its stem and leaves, and especially the upper 

 portion of the plant and the calyxes. Leaves shortly stalked, oblong-ovate 

 or lanceolate, slightly cordate at the base, soft and sUky. Flowers numerous, 

 in dense whorls or clusters, all distinct, the lower ones sometimes rather dis- 

 tant, but all forming a long terminal spike, with numerous small, narrow 

 bracts, close under the flowers. Calyx-teeth often almost prickly. Corolla- 

 tube shorter than the calyx, the upper lip very sOky outside. 



In waste places, and on roadsides ; very common in central and southern 

 Eurojie and western Asia, where it is very variable. In Britain, it has ap- 

 peared occasionally in some limestone districts of England, but is perhaps 

 not really indigenous. Fl. summer. 



3. Hedge Stachys. Stachys sylvatica, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 416.) 



A green, coarsely hairy perennial, with a disagreeable smell ; the rootstock 

 emitting short, thick, creeping scions ; the stem stout, erect, and branching, 

 2 to 4 feet high. Leaves all stalked, rather large, ovate, cordate and cre- 

 nate. Flowers in whorls of 6 to 10, distant from each other, forming long 

 terminal spikes, witliout any bracts except the floral leaves. Calyx-teeth 

 spreading and pointed, but not prickly. Corolla of a dark reddish-purple, 

 the tube longer than the calyx, the lower lip variegated with wlute on the 

 tipper side. 



In ditches, on shady banks, and the edges of woods, throughout Europe 

 and Russian Asia, from the Caucasus and Altai to the Arctic Circle. Yery 

 abundant all over Britain. Fl. summer. 



• 4. Marsh Stachys. Stachys palustris, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1675.) 



Resembles the wood 8. in its creeping rootstock and tall, stout stems, but 



the hairs are shorter and not so coarse, the smell is not so bad, and the 



leaves are much narrower ; they are very shortly stalked, oblong or lan- 



ceolato, slightly cordate at the base, 2 to 4 inches long. Flowers of a pale 



