74 



LABIAT^E. 



LoPHANTHTJS. 



2. Lophanthus scrophularlefolius, Beiith. Purple Giant Hyssop. 



Stem pubescent ; leaves ovate, acute, serrate-crenate, green on both sides, smooth above, 

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

 late, acute. — Benth. Lab. p. 463 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 355. Hyssopus scrophularisefolius, 

 Willd. sp. 3. p. 48 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 406 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 71 ; Beck, bot. p. 274. 



Stem 3-5 feet high, stout, the angles obtuse with the sides concave, branched, more or 

 less pubescent, usually of a purple color. Leaves 3-5 inches long and 2-3 inches wide, 

 often cordate at the base, coarsely serrate, acuminate ; the petiole pubescent, an inch or more 

 in length. Spikes 2-4 inches long, thick ; the bracts broadly ovate and acuminate. Calyx 

 tinged with purple ; the segments oblong-lanceolate and usually acute. Corolla pale purple. 

 Stamens and style exserted. Achenia villous at the summit. 



Thickets and borders of woods ; less frequent than the preceding. Fl. August. These 

 two species are very nearly allied, and I have sometimes found specimens in which the 

 characters of both were blended. 



16. NEPETA. Linn.; Benth. Lab. p 464. CATNEP. 



[ Said by some to be named from Nepi, a town in Italy : others derive it from ncpa, a scorpion ; for the bite of which, 



one of the species was considered a cure.] 



Calyx tubular or somewhat ovoid, 13- 15-nerved, obliquely 5-toothed. Corolla 2-lipped : 

 upper lip erect, somewhat concave, emarginate or 2-cleft ; lower one spreading, 3-lobed ; 

 the middle lobe largest : tube slender below ; the throat dilated. Stamens 4, ascending; 

 the lower part longest : anthers mostly approximated by pairs ; the cells diverging, at length 

 divaricate. — Herbs of various habit. 



1. Nepeta Cataria, Linn. Common Catnep, or Cat-mint. 



Hoary-pubescent; stem erect; leaves oblong -cordate, acute, crenate- serrate, rugose; 

 whorls many-flowered , the lower ones pedunculate , upper ones crowded in a spike ; bracts 

 about as long as the pedicels ; teeth of the calyx lanceolate-subulate ; corolla one half longer 

 than the calyx. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 570 ; Engl. bot. t. 137 ; Michx. Jl. 2. p. 2 ; Ell. sk. 2. 

 p. 72 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 406 ; Bigel.fl. Bost.p. 237 ; Beck, bot. p. 279 ; Benth. Lab. p. 477; 

 Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 356. 



Perennial. Whole plant clothed with a soft whitish pubescence. Stem 2-3 feet high. 

 Leaves 2-3 inches long, petiolate. Whorls somewhat globose ; the lower ones on short 

 peduncles ; upper ones in a compound interrupted spike. Calyx tubular, pubescent. Corolla 

 whitish or cream-colored ; the middle lobe of the lower lip crenate and speckled with purple. 



Old fields, along fences, and cultivated grounds ; introduced from Europe. June - August. 

 Every one is familiar with this plant, and its uses as a domestic medicine. 



