\ 



LoPHANTHTJS. 



LABIATE. 



73 



Tribe VI. NEPETE2E. Benth. 



Calyx oblique or somewhat 2-lipped ; the upper teeth larger. Corolla 2-Hpped ; the upper 

 lip somewhat vaulted ; lower one spreading : throat mostly inflated. Stamens four, 

 didynamous ; the upper pair longer. 



15. LOPHANTHUS. Benth. Lab. p. 462. giant HYSSOP. 



Species of Hyssopus, Linn, and older authors. 

 [ From the Greek, lophos, a crest, and anthos, a flower ; in allusion to the appearance of the flowers.] 



Calyx campanulate-tubular, 15-nerved, oblique, 5-cleft ; the upper segments longer. Corolla 

 2-lipped : upper lip somewhat erect, emarginately 2-cleft ; lower lip 3-lobed ; the middle 

 lobe broader and crenate. Stamens diverging ; the upper pair longer : ceils of the anther 

 at length somewhat diverging. — Herbs, with the flowers in terminal spikes, or in axillary 

 pedunculate cymes. 



1. Lophanthus nepetoides, Benth. Yellow Giant Hyssop. 



Smooth ; leaves ovate, rather acute, serrate-crenate, green on both sides, smooth or scarcely 

 pubescent underneath ; spikes cylindrical, interrupted at the base ; teeth of the calyx ovate, 

 rather obtuse. — Benth. Lab. p. 464 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 355. Hyssopus nepetoides, 

 Linn. sp. 2. p. 569 ; "Jacq. hort. Vind. 1. p. 28. t. 69 ;" Michx. fl. 2. p. 1 ; Pursh, fl. 2. 

 p. 406 ; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 27 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 235 ; Beck, bot. p. 274. 



Stem 4-6 feet high, branching ; the angles acute and often almost winged, of a pale 

 yellowish green color. Leaves 2-4 inches long and lA - 21 wide, acuminate, serrate except 

 towards the tip, very slightly and softly pubescent and sprinkled with resinous dots under- 

 neath ; the base sometimes cordate, especially when the plant grows in the shade : petiole 

 nearly smooth. Spikes 2-4 inches long, thick and compact ; the bracts broadly ovate and 

 acuminate, strongly veined and a little ciliate : lower whorls of flowers often separate from 

 the rest of the spike. Calyx nearly smooth, green ; the teeth lanceolate-oblong and usually 

 rather obtuse, but sometimes acute. Corolla pale greenish yellow, about one-fourth longer 

 than the calyx. Stamens and styles exserted ; the latter equally 2-cleft at the summit. 

 Achenia villous at the summit. 



Borders of woods, in thickets, and along fences ; rather frequent. July - August. 



[Flora — Vol. 2.] 



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