670 



THE LABIATE FAMILY. 



A variety with the upper leaves deeply cut, which occurs occasionally 

 in western Europe, and has been found also in England and Scot- 

 land, has been described as a species, under the name of L. inci&um 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1933). 



3. White Lamium. Lamium album, Linn. (Fig. 805.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 768. Bead- Nettle.) 



A rather coarse, hairy perennial, with 

 a shortly creeping stock, and decumbent 

 or ascending, branching stems, seldom 

 above a foot high. Leaves stalked, 

 coarsely crenate. Flowers pure white, 

 in close axillary whorls of 6 to 10 or 

 more. Calyx-teeth long, fine and spread- 

 ing. Tube of the corolla curved up- 

 wards, and longer than the calyx, with 

 an oblique contraction near the base, 

 corresponding with a ring of hairs in- 

 side ; the upper lip long and arched ; the 

 lateral lobes of the lower one slightly 

 prominent, with a long, fine tooth. 



Under hedges, on banks, and waste 

 places, throughout Europe and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Ex- 

 tends all over Britain, although becom- 

 ing rare in the Scotch Highlands. Fl. 

 the whole season. The leaves are occa- 



marked by a white line or spot in the centre, but less fre- 



so than in the following species. 



Fig. 805. 



sionally 

 quently 



4. Spotted Lamium. Lamium maculatum, Linn. 

 (Fig. 806.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 2550.) 



Closely resembles the white L. in every respect except in the colour 

 of the flower, which is purple-red instead of white, and in the ring 

 of hairs in the tube of the corolla, which is transverse instead of ob- 

 lique. The leaves are also more frequently marked in the centre 

 with a broad white line or spot. It is still very doubtful whether it 

 may not be a mere variety of the white Z., with which I had formerly 

 united it. 



