662 



THE LABIATE FAMILY. 



and Russian Asia, except the extreme north. Abundant in England, 

 extending into the southern counties of Scotland, very rare in southern 

 Ireland. Fl. summer. Many botanists retain for this and a few exotic 

 species the Linnaean genus Betonica. 



2. Downy Staehys. Stachys germanica, Linn. (Fig. 794.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 829. Woundwort.) 



An erect, branching perennial, 1 to 

 3 feet high, remarkable for the long, 

 whitish, silky hairs which cover its stem 

 and leaves, and especially the upper por- 

 tion of the plant and the calyxes. Leaves 

 shortly stalked, oblong-ovate or lanceo- 

 late, slightly cordate at the base, soft 

 and silky. Flowers numerous, in dense 

 whorls or clusters, all distinct, the lower 

 ones sometimes rather distant, but all 

 forming a long terminal spike, with nu- 

 merous small, narrow bracts, close under 

 the flowers. Calyx-teeth often almost 

 prickly. Corolla tube shorter than the 

 calyx, the upper lip very silky outside. 



In waste places, and on roadsides ; 

 very common in central and southern 

 Europe and western Asia, where it is 

 very ^variable. In Britain, it has ap- 

 peared occasionally in some limestone districts of England, but is per- 

 haps not really indigenous. FL summer. 



Fig. 794. 



3. Hedge Stachys. Stachys sylvatica, Linn. (Fig. 795.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 416.) 



A green, coarsely hairy perennial, with a disagreeable smell ; the 

 rootstock emitting short, thick, creeping scions ; the stem stout, erect, 

 and branching, 2 to 4 feet high. Leaves all sfealked, rather large, 

 ovate, cordate and crenate. Flowers in whorls of 6 to 10, distant from 

 each other, forming long terminal spikes, without any bracts except 

 the floral leaves. Calyx-teeth spreading and pointed, but not prickly. 



