LABIATAE (MINT FAMILY) 361 
at both ends, those near the base tapering to short petioles, the 
upper ones sessile. Flowers in dense axillary clusters, pale purple to 
white, the lobes of the calyx nearly equal, the corolla-tube cylindric 
to funnel-form, with four flaring lobes, suggesting the reason why 
the plant is named Bugleweed ; perfect stamens two, the posterior 
pair being rudimentary. Seeds four small nutlets, three-angled, 
longer than the calyx-lobes, in plain view when mature. (Fig. 251.) 
Means of control 
In fields, frequent cutting, close to the ground, while in early 
flower; or, better, hand-pulling, which often takes runners and 
all. In ditches the weed must be grubbed out or hand-pulled. 
PEPPERMINT 
Méntha piperita, L. 
Other English names: Lamb Mint, Brandy Mint. 
Introduced. Perennial. Propagates by 
seeds and by rootstocks. 
Time of bloom: June to September. 
Seed-time: August to November. 
Range: Nova Scotia to Ontario and Minne- 
sota, southward to Florida and Tennessee. 
Habitat: Prefers moist soil, but will grow 
anywhere. 
Some thousands of acres in this country, 
particularly in the states of New York, 
Indiana, and Michigan, are very profitably 
given to the cultivation of this plant for the 
distillation of its oil, which is used in flavor- 
ing confectionery, in cordials and cosmetics, 
and also medicinally. But beyond the 
bounds of cultivation the plant is a trouble- 
some weed. A bed of it in the herb garden 
is difficult of restriction within proper limits, 
as the long, underground suckers are continu- 
ally thrusting up new plants where they are p,, 50 Peppentint 
not wanted. (Mentha piperita). Xk. 
