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WHIRLED MINTS. 



PL. XII. 



12. CORN MINT. 



THIS Mint does not much exceed one foot in height; its ftalk is 

 fquare, pale, very hairy, and quite overloaded with horizontal branches, 

 which weigh it down and prevent its being upright; the leaves ftand on 

 fhort footftalks; they are hairy, ovate, ferrated, and of a pale-green colour. 



The whirls ftand at the joints in the bofoms of the leaves, and clofely 

 embrace the ftalk all round; the flowers are of a pleafantred colour; the 

 ftamens generally fhorter than the bloffom; the calix or cup is quite woolly. 



This plant has a ftrong fullfome mixed fmell of mellow apples and 

 gingerbread, by which it may be always known in all fituations. Some 

 authors have puzzled themfelves and their readers by making J. Bauhin's 

 figure of arvenfu, a diftincT plant from Lobel's belgarum, which are cer- 

 tainly figures of the fame plant in different fituations ; witnefs C. B. who 

 quotes both of them to his arvenjis, as does Morrifon alfo. 



In gravelly and fandy foils, as Hounflow-heath, Epping, and Windfor 

 forefts, this plant is not above fix or feven inches high, whence fome have 

 termed it exigua, but its peculiar fmell will always detect it. It is com- 

 mon in corn-fields and (hallow waters, and flowers at the latter end of 

 of July and in Auguft. 



There are two diftincT: varieties of this plant. 



1. Corn Mint with an upright ftalk, red, not much branched, growing 

 to the height of two feet, with long, narrow, and almoft fmooth leaves, 

 and an agreeable fmell. Mrs. Blackwell has drawn this variety for her 

 Corn Mint. It grows in fhallow waters on fandy heaths. 



2. Great Corn Mint with broad, ovate, deep-green leaves ; ftalk hairy, 

 much branched, and two feet high, and not unpleafant in its fmell; the 

 ftamens longer than the bloffom. It grows in moift meadows frequently. 



