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PHYSOSTEGIA IMBRICATA. 
(imbricated PHYSOSTEGIA.) 
CLASS. ORDER. 
DIDYNAMIA. GYMNOSPERMIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
LABIATE. 
Generic Character. — Calyx tubular when the flower is expanded, inflated after florescence, with about 
ten obscure veins, either with five nearly equal teeth, or truncate and scarcely dentate. Corolla 
tubular, much exserted, inflated at the uiouth ; limb of two parts, upper lip nearly erect, paitially 
concave, entire or emarginate, lower one spreading, trifid, lobes rounded, the middle one frequently 
emarginate. Stamens four, those in the upper lip ascending, lower ones very conspicuous. Anthers 
approximate, two-celled ; cells parallel, distinct, open. Style bifid at the summit, lobes subulate, 
crowned with stigmas. Achenium dry, smooth. 
Specific Character. — Plant an herbaceous perennial. Stems erect, slightly branched, quadrangular, 
nearly smooth. Leaves opposite, sessile, oblongo-lanceolate, acute, serrated. Flowers terminal 
spicate, imbricated in sestivatum, generally in pairs. Corolla -^vak., two-lipped; upper lip bifid, 
lower one of three lobes, spotted with red internally. Calyx usually five-parted, segments acute, 
nearly equal. 
Among the innumerable variations in character of plants and vegetables, all 
of which are in some degree interesting and valuable, and contribute more or less 
to our sustenance or delight, there is no class of plants the members of which so 
closely resemble each other in habit, or are more extensively cultivated, and uni- 
versally admired, than that large family which comes within the appellation of 
" hardy herbaceous plants." In the small plot of ground cultivated by the peasant 
or cottager, as well as in the magnificent and ornamental flower-gardens of the 
gentleman or nobleman, we invariably find some plants of this description ; and 
even if we walk abroad into our fields and woods, we shall observe no lack of the 
beautiful and valuable subjects of this class. 
These plants are cultivated with so little trouble, and adorn our flower-beds and 
borders with such an extensive and pleasing variety of their delightful blossoms, as 
well as furnish us with some attractive feature at almost all seasons of the year, 
that they are more universally cultivated than those of any other description or 
habits in the whole vegetable kingdom ; but though they are so numerous and 
