350 DIDYNAMIA GYMXOSPERMIA 



1. C. mahiasa, L. Leaves ovate, serrate, subscssile; cymes pedun- 

 culate, corymbose, terminal and axillary. Becky Bot. p. 277. 

 Maryland Cujcila. Vulgo— Dittany. 



Root perennial. Stems 8 to 12 inches long, orect, or oblique (mostly several from 

 the root, forming bunches), quadrangular, smoothish, pubescent on the angles and 

 joints, much branched, mostly purple. Leaves about an inch long, and 2 thirds of 

 an inch wide, acuminately tapering to the apex, rounded and often subcordate at 

 base, sessile, or on very short petioles, smoothish, sparingly pilose on the nerves 

 and margin, pellucid-punctate. Flowers in small fastigiate corymbs, terminal and 

 axillary ; pedicels trichotomous, with subulate bracts at base. Calyx sprinkled 

 with resinous dots ; teeth lanceolate, acute; throat closed with a dense white vil- 

 lus. Corolla pale purple, pubescent, nearly twice as long as the calyx. Stamens 



2, much exserted. Style as long as the stamens, equally bifid at apex, purple. 



Bab. Dry, hilly woodlands; Mica-slate hills : frequent. Fl. July-Sept. Fr. Sept-Oct. 



Obs. The infusion of this aromatic herb is a popular and pleasant beverage, in 

 fevers. It is thinly species in the U. States,— as the genus is now constituted by 

 Mr. Benthamf In the beginning of winter, after a rain, very curious and fantas- 

 tic ribbands qfTce may often be observed, attached to the base of the stems of this 

 plant,—produced, I presume, by the moisture from the earth rising in the dead 

 •terns by capillary attraction, and then being gradually forced out horizontally, 

 through a slit, by the process of freezing. The same phenomenon has been ftotl- 

 ced in other plants. See Obs. on Helianthemum, p. 314 J 



5. Melissa Tribe. Calyx 13 or rarely 10-nerved, bilabiate; upper lip 3-toothed, 

 lower one bifid. Corolla bilabiate ; upper lip straight, entire, or bifidly cmargin. 

 ate, mostly flattish ; lower lip spreading, 3-lobed, lobes flat, the middle one often 

 broader. Stamens 4, or sometimes 2, ascending. Melissine*. Denth. 



281. HEDEOMA. Per*. JSTntt. Gen. 23. 

 [Greek, Hedeia osmi, a pleasant odor; from its fragrance.] 



Calyx ovoid-tubular, gibbous on the under side near the base, 13-nerv- 

 cd, bilabiate ; upper lip 3-toothed, lower bifid ; throat hairy. Corolla 

 bilabiate; upper lip erect, flat ; lower lip spreading, 3-lobed, lobes near. 

 ly equal. Stamens 2 fertile, ascending, about as long as the corolla ; 

 anthers 2-celled ; cells diverging. 



1. H. puLEGioiDES, Pers. Leaves lance-ovate, subserrate, narrowed 

 at base, pctiolate; verticils axillary, about 6-flowered. Beck, Bot. p. 280. 

 Cuniia pulegioides. Willd. Sp. 1. p. 122. Mx. Am. 1. p. 13. Jit. 

 Ktno. I. p. 48. Mnhl. Catal.p.3. Bigel. Bost. p. 10. 

 Pulegittm-like Hkdeoma. Vulgo — Penny-royal. 



Root annual. Stem 6 to 12 inches high, hoary-pubescent, branched above. 

 LeaveshsAf an inch to an inch long, and I fourth to half an inch wide, lance-ovate, 

 or lance-oblong, rather obtuse, sparingly serrate, sometimes entire, slightly pu- 

 bescent, punctate, narrowed at base to a pubescent petiole 1 eighth to half an inch in 

 length. Flowers on short pubescent pedicels, about 3 in each opposite axil ; bracts 

 linear, or lanceolate, scarcely as long as the pedicels. Calyx hirsute, the tube dila- 

 ted or gibbous on the lower side ; upper lip (lower, Ell.) with 3 ovate-lanceolate 

 teeth; lower lip (upper, Ell.) with 2 subulate hispid-ciliate teeth. Corolla pale 

 blue, about as long as the calyx. Stamens*, scarcely exserted; the upper pair 

 abortive, or mere rudiments. Ahenes oval, subcompressed, smoothish, dirty white, 

 or light brown. 



