360 Verbenacee— I itex. 
3. VITEX. 
A considerable genus of trees and shrubs. Leaves digitately 
compound or simple. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, pani- 
culate or cymose. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla salver-shaped ; 
limb oblique, 5- or 6-lobed, obscurely 2-lipped. Fruit dry, 4- 
celled. The majority of the species are tropical, a few reach- 
ing the Mediterranean Sea and China. A classical name applied 
to a Willow, or some other shrub with flexible branches. 
1. V. Agnus-Castus. Chaste-tree—An aromatic shrub 6 
to 12 feet high. Leaves digitately 5- to 7-foliolate; leaflets 
lanceolate-acuminate, quite entire, and clothed with a white 
tomentum on the lower surface. Flowers small, violet, in ter- 
minal interrupted paniculate spikes. A native of the South 
of Europe. 
Orver LXXXIV.—LABIATAR. 
Herbaceous or shrubby plants, frequently fwmished with 
immersed glands of aromatic fragrant cil. Stems usually 
4-angled. Leaves opposite or verticillate, simple or compound. 
Flowers in axillary cymes or solitary or capitate. Calyx inferior, 
tubular, ribbed, 5- or 10-toothed or bilabiate. Corolla usually 
bilabiate, the upper lip overlapping the lower in bud. Stamens 
4 and didynamous, or only 2. Fruit composed of 4 (rarely 
fewer) 1-seeded nutlets enclosed in the persistent calyx. Seeds 
erect, with little or no albumen. A very large and very natural 
assemblage of plants, comprising about 2,500 species, chiefly 
inhabiting temperate and tropical countries. The order is 
abundantly represented in Britain and in the herb garden. 
Sage, Sdlvia officinalis; Spearmint, Mentha viridis ; Pepper- 
mint, M. piperita; Thyme, Thymus vulgaris; Marjoram, 
Origanum vulgare; and Basil, Oeginui Busilicwm, are 
amongst the most familiar. 
1. COLEUS. 
A genus of tropical herbs and shrubs, valuable for the 
brilliantly-coloured foliage of the species in general cultiva- 
tion. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, and borne in 
terminal spikes of verticillasters. Calyx campanulate; limb 
6-toothed or bilabiate, recurved in fruit. Corolla with a 
