338 DIDYNAMIA GYMKOSPERMIA 



Stamens declined; lower ones longer; upper filaments often toothed 

 at base. Akenes compressed, elliptic-ovate, smoothish. 



1. O. basiliccm, L. Leaves ovate-oblong, subdentate, smooth, peti- 

 olate ; calyx ciliate. Bcnth. Lab. p. 4. 



Royal Ocymum. Vulgo — Sweet Basil* 



Gallice — Basilic. Germ. Gemeines JBasilienkraut. Hisp. Albahaca. 



Root annual. Stem 6 to 12 inches high, often much branched above, smoothish 

 at base, pubescent above with short rtjlexed hairs. Loaves Iialfan inch to an inch 

 long, and 1 third to half an inch wide, tapering at each etui, obscurely and irreg* 

 ularly dentate, sometimes entire, smoothish, punctate beneath ; petioles 1 third to 

 2 thirds of an i?ich long, someichat ciliate. Flowers in simple terminal interrupt- 

 ed racemes ; pedicel s pubescent, shorter than the calyx ; bracts orate, acuminate, 

 peliolate, ciliate, often purple, rather longer than the calyx. Calyx injlated-cani" 

 panulate, reftexed after fioxcei in g. Corolla whitish , or bluish white, nearly twice 

 as long as the calyx. Akenes minutely punctate. 



Hab. Gardens: frequent. Fl. July. Fr. September. 



Obs. This fragrant little plant is often cultivated for culinary purposes. There 

 are no native species in the U. States. 



268. LAVANDULA. L. Gen. PL 965. 

 [Latin, lavare, to wash; the distilled water being used for that purpose.] 



Calyx tubular, ovoid-cylindric, ribbed, with 5 short teeth, the upper 

 tooth sometimes dilated and produced at apex. Corolla with the up- 

 per lip 2-lobed, lower one 3-lobed; lobes nearly equal, spreading ; tube 

 exserted. Stamens included ; filaments smooth, not toothed. Disk 

 concave, with 4 fleshy scales on the margin. Akenes smooth, adnate 

 to the scales of the disk. 



1. L. Spica, DC. Leaves linear-oblanceolate, entire, sessile y taper- 

 ing to the base ; spike someivhat interrupted ; floral leaves lance-lin- 

 ear, the upper ones shorter than the calyx ; bracts linear-subulate. 

 Benth. Lab. p. 149. 



Spike Lavandula. Vulgo — Lavender. 



Gallice — La Lavande. Germ. Der LavandeL Hisp. Esplitgo. 



Root perennial. Stem suffruticose, branching from the base ; branches erect, 

 12 to IB inches high, Wangled, subtomentose and hoary, leafy at base, nearly naked 

 above. Leaves I to 2 inches long, and 1 to 3 or 4 lines wide, crowded at the base 

 of the branches, revolute on the margin , clothed with a short hoary t omentum. 

 Flowers in a terminal imbricated spike about an inch in length, with 1 or 2 distant 

 verticils below ; pedicels short. Calyx tubular^ hoary-pubescent, closely ribbed and 

 grooved, teeth short and villose. Corolla blue, pubescent, nearly twice as long as 

 the calyx. 



Hab. Gardens: frequent. Fl. July. Fr. September. 



Obs. This is often cultivated for its cordial and stomachic properties. The 

 distilled water is also highly esteemed for its pungent fragrance. There are no 

 native species in the U* States. 



