LABIATE. 



than the floral leaves, forming short, 

 terminal, loose, leafy spikes. Calyx 

 usually hairy, and the whole plant some- 

 times covered with short, rather stiff, 

 hoary hairs. 



On banks, and dry, hilly pastures, 

 throughout Europe and northern and 

 central Asia. Very abundant in Bri- 

 tain. FL the whole summer. 



651 



Fig. 781. 



Y. MARJORAM. OBIGANUM. 



Herbs or undershrubs, with the flowers and principal characters of 

 Tliyme, but of taller growth, and especially differing in inflorescence. 

 The flowers are in compact heads, with a bract under each flower at 

 least as long as the calyx, the whole forming terminal corymbs or 

 panicles. The calyx is also variable, in our species more regular than 

 in Thyme, in some exotic ones quite as decidedly 24ipped as in that 

 genus, and the lips sometimes entire. 



Besides our common species, the greater number of Marjorams are 

 east Mediterranean, including the sweet Marjoram of our gardens. 



1. Wild Marjoram. Origanum vulgare, Linn. 



(Fig. 782.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1143.) 



Hootstock perennial, shortly creeping ; the annual stems erect, 1 to 

 2 feet high, more or less hairy. Leaves stalked, ovate or ovate-lan- 

 ceolate, an inch or more long, and slightly toothed. Flowers purple 

 or rarely white, in globular compact heads, forming a terminal tricho- 

 tomous panicle. Bracts ovate, about the length of the calyx. Calyx 

 very hairy inside the mouth, with short, nearly equal teeth. Corolla 

 twice as long as the calyx, with 4 broad, nearly equal lobes, of which 

 the upper one is broader and nearly erect. The two longest stamens, 



