94 AMERICAN MEDICINAL LEAVES AND HEBBS. 
CATNIP. 
Nepeta cataria L. 
Other common names.—Cataria, catmint, catwort, catrup, field mint. 
Habitat and range.—Catnip, a common weed naturalized irom Europe, occurs in 
rather dry soil in waste 
places and cultivated land 
irom Canada to Minnesota 
and south to Virginia and 
Arkansas. 
Description.—The fine 
white hairs on the stems 
oi this plant give it a 
somewhat whitish appear- 
ance. Catnip reaches 
about 2 to 3 feet in height, 
with erect, square, and 
branched stems. It isa 
perennial belonging to the 
mint family (Menthacez). 
The opposite leaves are 
heart shaped or oblong, 
with a pointed apex, the 
upper suriace green, the 
lower grayish green with 
fine white hairs, the mar- 
gins finely scalloped and 
1 to 24 inches in length. 
About June to Septem- 
ber the many-flowered, 
rather thick spikes are 
produced at the ends of 
the stem and branches. 
The whitish flowers, dot- 
ted with purple, are two 
lipped, the upper lip 
notched or two cleit, the 
lower one with three lobes, 
the middle lobe broadest 
and sometimes two cleit. 
(Fig. 16). 
Collection, prices, and uses—The leaves and flowering tops, which have a strong 
odor and a bitter taste, are collected when the plant is in flower and are careiully 
dried. The coarser stems and branches should be rejected. Catnip was official in 
the United States Pharmacopeia irom 1840 to 1880. The price ranges irom 3 to 5 cents 
a pound. 
Catnip is used as a mild stimulant and tonic and asan emmenagogue. Italso hasa 
quieting effect on the nervous system. 
219 
Fig- 16.—Catnip (Nepeta cataria), leaves and flowers. 
