240 



WEEDS AXD USEFUL PLANTS. 



due subjection. Another species [L. purpu'rcum, L.) has also h^&a intro- 

 duced in some localities ; but it does not appear to multiply so ra ifidly. 



16. LEONU'RUS, L. Motherwort. 



[Greek, Leon, a iion, and Oura, a tail ; from some fancied resemblance.] 



Calijx turbinate, 5 -10- nerved, — the limb truncate, 5-toothed ; teeth 

 subulate, subspinesceut, finally spreading. Corolla bilabiate, — the upper 

 lip oblong', entire, flattish or somewhat arched— lower lip spreading, 3- 

 iobed, — the lateral lobes oblong — the middle one entire or sometimes ob- 

 cordate. Stamens 4, ascending under the upper lip ; anthers approximat- 

 ed in pairs, 2-celled, the valves naked. Akenes triquetrous, truncate at 

 summit, smooth. Mostly perennial herbs with cut4obed leaves and close 

 whorls of flowers in their axils. 



1. L. Cardia'ca, L. Lower stem4eaves palm ate4obed, the upper ones 

 cuneate-oblong, mostly trifid, with a lengthened narrow base, — the lobes 

 of all the leaves ovate or lanceolate ; corolla longer than the calyx-teeth ; 

 the tube with a villous ring within at base ; upper lip flattish, hirsutely 

 villous ; lower lip spreading, the middle lobe entire. 



Cardiac Leonurus. Motherwort. 



Ft. L'Agripaume. Germ. Das Herzgespann. Span. Agripalma. 



Root perennial Stem 2-4 feet high, branched at base and above, retrorsely pubescent, 

 with a hairy ring at the joints or nodes. Leaves 2-4 inches long, rugose, the lower ones 

 nearly orbicular in the outline ; j;e<ioZes 1-2 inches long. Cymules 3-6 or 8-flowered, 

 Bessile, distant, forming an interrupted leafy spike 6-12 or 15 inches in length ; hracteoles 

 Bubulate, smooth. Calyx strongly 5-ribbed, smoothish ; teeth acuminate, pungent, the 

 lower ones rather longer. Corolla pale purple, externally very villous, especially on the 

 upper hp. Al-eiies hirsute at summit. 



Fence rows and waste places : introduced. Native of Europe and Asia. Fl. Juue- 

 July. Fr. August. 



Obs. This foreigner is completely naturalized, and is apt to occupy aU 

 neglected nooks and waste places about farm-yards and along field-ssdes 

 It is an utterly worthless weed — unsightly and disagreeable, — and speed- 

 ily gives a forlorn appearance to the premises of the slothful and sloven- 

 ly farmer. There is another species {L. mar rubias' trim, L.) which has 

 become partially naturalized in some districts ; but it does not threaten 

 to become so prevalent and troublesome. 



17. TEU'CEIUM, L. Germander. 



[Named from Teucer, a Trojan prince, who, it is said, first used the plant.] 



Cahjx tnbular-campanulate, nearly equally 5-toothed. Corolla with the 

 tube short, — the 4 upper lobes of the limb nearly equal, oblong and de- 

 clined, or very short and rather erect, — the lowest lobe largest, oblong or 

 rounded, mostly concave. Stamens 4, exserted from the cleft between 

 the upper lobes of the corolla ; anthers with the cells confluent. Cymules 

 few -flowered in a terminal rather crowded greyish-green spike. 



