11 LABIATiE 325 



the base, sometimes glabrous, sometimes hairy ; the 

 stems bear reflexed hairs. 



Origanum (Marjoram) 



Protandrous. Besides the complete there are often 

 sniall female flowers. 



0. vulgare. — The corolla-tube of the complete flowers 

 is 7 mm. long, of the female 4-5 mm. long. The small 

 female flowers open some eight days before the others. 

 The leaves are hairy underneath ; the stem bears soft 

 hairs. 



Lamium (Dead-nettle) 



We now come to the typical Labiates in which the 

 corolla is distinctly two-lipped. I take Lamium as a 

 type, because it is very characteristic, very common, and 

 known to every one. They are red, white, or yellow 

 homogamous bee or humble bee flowers, with nectar 

 secreted at the base of the ovary, and protected by a 

 ring of hairs round the corolla. We have flve species. 

 Two are annual : L. amplexicaule, with the bracts 

 sessile and orbicular ; while in L. purpureum they are 

 stalked and ovate. Of the three perennial species, one, 

 L. maculatum, has red flowers ; one, L. Galeobdolon, 

 yellow ; and the third, L. album, white. 



L. album (Fig. 211). — In few flowers is the use of 

 the various arrangements more clearly and beautifully 

 shown. The honey occupies the lower contracted 

 portion of the tube, and is protected from the rain by 

 the arched upper lip and by a rim of hairs. Above the 

 narrower lower portion the tube expands, and throws 

 out a broad lip (Fig. 213, m), which serves as an 

 alighting place for large bees, while the length of the 

 narrow tube prevents the smaller species from obtain- 

 ing access to the honey, which would be injurious to 

 the flower, as it would remove the source of attraction 

 for the bees, without efi"ecting the object in view. At 

 the base of the tube, moreover, at the point marked 

 ca (Fig. 213), there is a ring of hairs which prevents 



