Melissa. 



LABIATiE. 



G9 



** Meliphyllum, Benth. Cymules few-flowered, sccund: brads few, mostly ovate : calyx gibbous at the base ; the upper 



lip smoothish; the throat naked or slightly villous. 



2. Melissa officinalis, Linn. Common Balm. 



Herbaceous, erect ; leaves oblong-ovate, coarsely crenate-serrate, rugous , the lower ones 

 often obtuse at the base ; cymules axillary, loose, secund ; bracts few, lanceolate -ovate, 

 petiolate. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 592 ; Beck, bot. p. 280 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 351 ; Benth. Lab. 

 p. 393. 



Perennial. Stem 1-2 feet high, branching, a little pubescent. Leaves 2 inches or more 

 in length and 1-2 inches broad, petiolate ; the upper ones obtusely cuneate at the base. 

 Flowers in small slightly peduncled axillary cymules. Bracts resembling the leaves, only 

 much smaller, ciliate. Calyx tubular-campanulate ; the upper lip truncate, with three short 

 acute teeth : lower lip rather longer than the upper ; the teeth with subulate points : the throat 

 open. Corolla white or cream-colored. 



Road-sides and borders of woods ; rare. An European plant, naturalized in a few places. 

 July - August. Common Balm is often cultivated in gardens, and an infusion of it is used 

 as a grateful drink in fevers. The fresh plant has the odor of lemons, which is lost in drying. 



Tribe V. SCUTELL ARINEJE. Benth. 



Calyx 2-lipped ; the upper lip truncate, entire or somewhat 3-toothed. Corolla 2-lipped ; 

 the upper Up vaulted : tube ascending, exserted. Stamens 4, ascending beneath the 

 upper lip of the corolla ; the lower pair longer. 



13. PRUNELLA. Linn. ; Benth. Lab. p. 416. self-heal. 



Bbunella, Ray ; Juss. 



[Altered by Linnsus from Brunclla of older authors, which again is derived from the German word braune, signifying 



quinsy, which the plant was supposed to cure.] 



Calyx tubular-campanulate, 2-lipped ; the upper lip flat, dilated, truncate, with 3 short teeth ; 

 lower lip 2-cleft. Corolla 2-lipped; the upper lip erect, vaulted ; lower depending, 3-lobed : 

 the tube annulate within near the base. Stamens 4 : filaments with 2 teeth at the extremity, 

 the lower one bearing the anther. — Herbaceous plants, with the flowers in dense spikes. 

 Floral leaves bract-like, roundish, imbricated. 



1. Prunella vulgaris, Linn. Common Self-heal. Healall. 



Leaves ovate -oblong or ovate -lanceolate, crenately toothed or nearly entire, sometimes 

 incisely toothed, petiolate. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 600 ; Engl. bot. t. 961 ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 11 ; 

 Pursh, fl. 2. p. 412 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 88 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 240 ; Torr. compend. p. 236 ; 

 Beck, bot. p. 281 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 352 ; Benth. Lab. p. 417. P. ovata, Pers. syn. 2. 



