10 



SPIKED MINTS. 



PL. IV. 



4 . ROUND-LEAVED MINT. 



THIS wild Mint grows to the height of three feet and upwards; its 

 Italic is quadrangular, large, very hairy, upright, and not much branched, 

 terminating in very large thickfet fpikes of flowers of a bright-red colour; 

 the bra&eals are like hairs, and project fo much above the flowers as to 

 give the fpike a ftrong refemblance of a fox's tail. 



The leaves are feffile, almofl: round, and deeply ferrated; they are of a 

 dark-green colour, wrinkled, and hairy; the nerves of the leaves run tranf- 

 verfely, and the veins are reticulated; the ftamens with their beautiful 

 red anthers, being equal to the blofibm in length, appear in fight when 

 the flower expands. 



The fmell of this plant refembles that of fpear-mint, but is not fo fragrant. 



I believe this plant is very rare, as I have never yet met with it fponta- 

 neous. It was given me eighteen years ago by that very eminent botanift, 

 W. Aiton, efq; (late botanic gardener to his Majefty) who, at the fame 

 time, informed me, that it had been fent to him by a correfpondent who 

 had found it both in Kent and Eflex. 



It flowers in Auguft. 



