342 DIDYNAMIA GYMNOSPERMIA 



271. SALVIA. L. Mitt. Gen. 25. 

 t Latin, Salvo, to save, or heal ; from its supposed healing properties. ] 



Calyx subcampanulate, bilabiate ; upper lip mostly 3-toothed, lower 

 lip bifid, throat naked. Corolla ringent ; upper lip erect, straight, or 

 falcate, and vaulted. Stamens 2 ; anthers dimidiate ; the cells separa* 

 fed by a long linear transverse connectivum. 



1. S. officinalis, I#, Stem hoary-tomentose, leafy ; leaves lance- 

 oblong, crenulate, rugose ; upper lilt of the corolla as long as the 

 lower one, somewhat vaulted. Benth. Lal>. p. 208. 



Officinal Salvia. Vulgd — Sage. Garden Sage* 



Gallice — La Sauge. Gormanice — Die Salbei. Hispanic! — Salvia. 



Root perennial. Stems 1 to %feet high, numerous, or branching from the base, 

 forming dense bioiches, fruU scent bcloic. Leaves I to 2 and a half inches long, 

 and half an inch to 3 quarters tciJe, rather obtuse, sometimes lobed near the base, 

 crenulate, and rugoscly veined, clothed tcilh a short pubescence, greyish green • 

 upper or floral leaves sessile, tlie others on petioles about an inch long. Flowers 

 verticillate, or in interrupted terminal racemes ; verticils 10 to 20 floxcered ; inner 

 jtedicels longer ; bracts ovate, acuminate, membranaceous, deciduous. Calyx cam- 

 jxmulate, ribbed, pubescent, Sprinkled with glandular dots, often purple ; teeth 

 acuminate* Corolla mostly violet piuylc, pubescent ; uppi r Up vaulted, lotrer lip 

 Globed, middle lobe dilated, ejnarginatc ; tube cxscrled, dilated, with a hairy ring 

 at base within. Stamens ascending, the 2 lower ones fertile, the 2 upper ones mi* 

 nute, abortive. Style smooth, tcilh the apex exserted, uncjually bifid, violet-pwpU. 

 Hab. Gardens : common. Fl. May— June. Fr. July— August. 



Obs. Generally cultivated ; and much used in domestic economy. The infusion 

 makes a good gargle; and is otherwise moderately medicinal. 



2. S. lyrata, L. Stem retrorsely pilose, nearly leaflesss ; radical 

 leaves lyrate, erosc-dentate ; upper lip of the corolla short, straight 

 Beck, Bot.p. 283. 



Lyrate Salvia. Vulgd — Meadow Sage. Cancer weed. 



Root perennial. Stem 1 to 2 feet high, erect, square, wi«h the sides concave, and 

 angles obtuse, somewhat branched near the summit, and often with branches from 

 the crown of the root. Railical leaves spreading, 2 lo 4 inches long, and 1 to 2 or 

 3 inches wide, ovate, orobovatc-oblong, obtuse, lyrute-pimmirtd, or sinuate-Iobcd, 

 often purplish, hairy, on hirsute petioles 1 to 3 inches Ion? ; stem leumes mostly a 

 single pair near the base of the raceme, elliptic-oblong, rej -and -dentate, subsessile. 

 Flowers verticillate, in a terminal interrupted raceme 4 to 8 or 10 inches ion* ; 

 verticils about 6-flowered, distant ; bracts lance-ovate, acute. Calyx tubular-cam- 

 panulate, pilose, nodding, becoming dry and parchmeut-like ; upper lip broad, 

 with 3 short distant teeth, lower lip with 2 lanceolate acuminate teeth. Corol'a 

 bluish, or violet-purple, pubescent; upj^er lip short, not vaulted ; tube much ex- 

 serted. Stamens 2, (the upper ones entirely wanting ?) ; anthers blue. Style ex- 

 serted, unequally bifid at apex. Akenes somewhat triquetrous-ovate, compressed 

 externally convex, dark brown. 



Hab. Meadows ; woodlands, &c. frequent. Fl. May -June. Fr. July. 



Obs. This species is regarded as a weed, in our meadows. Mr. Elliott says 

 the fresh radical leaves bruised and apj lied to warts, will generally destroy them, 

 live or si* additional species are enumerated in the U. State*, 



