p. 54. ; FI. Hibern. p. 213. — Mentha aquatica, Huds. FI. Angl. (2nded.) p. 252. 
a and (5. — Sole Menth. Brit. pp. 23 & 25. t. 10 & 11. — Liglitf. FI. Scot. v. i. p. 
305.— Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 182.— Abbot’s FI. Bedf. p. 127.— Benth. Lab. p. 176.— 
Don’s Gen. Syst. of Card, and Bot. v. iv. p. 718. — Lindl. Syn. (2nded.) p. 200. — 
Macr. Man. Brit. Bot. p. 178.— Burt. Midi. FI. v. i. p. 275. — Mentha glomerate , 
Stokes Bot. Mat. Med. 616. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 361. — Mentha aquatica 
seu Sisymbrium, Ray’s Syn. p. 233.— Johnson’s Gernrde, p. 684. — Mentha 
aquatica, sive Sisymbrium hirsutium, Bauln Hist. y. iii. pt. n. p. 224, with a 
figure. — Sisymbrium hirsutum, Ray’s Syn. p. 233. — Origanum vulgare, FI. 
Dan. t. 638. 
Localities. — M argins of rivers, wet ditches, and in watery places, very common. 
Perennial. — Flowers in August and September. 
Root creeping to a great extent, and throwing up many stems. 
Stems from 1 to 3 feet high, generally upright, mostly branched 
4-angled, clothed more or less with recurved hairs, and often tinged 
with purple. Leaves opposite, on shortish petioles, egg-shaped, 
serrated, rounded at the base, or somewhat heart-shaped, hairy. 
Bracteas spear-shaped, hairy. Flowers pale purple, in heads or 
whorls, their stalks densely covered, for the most part, but espe- 
cially at the summit, with recurved, someiimes close-pressed, white 
hairs. Calyx tubular, furrowed, often purplish, besprinkled with 
resinous dots, and covered all over with hairs of various lengths, 
which are curved in a contrary direction from those of the stalks. 
Corolla pale purple, hairy on the outside. Stamens varying in 
length, usually longer than the corolla. Lower whorls often stalked. 
This is a very variable species, the flowers are sometimes capi- 
tate, sometimes whorled, and sometimes the whorls are placed so 
close on the extremity of the branches as to form a spike. Sir J. E. 
Smith, who paid particular attention to this difficult genus, has, in 
his “English Flora,” described eight distinct varieties of this species, 
in which he includes Menllia aquatica. Sole’s “ Menthee Britan- 
nicae, t. 10 & II. — M. palustris, ibid. t. 6. ; M. paludosa, ibid, 
t. 22. — M. piperita, Linn. Sp. PI. p. 805. (not of Hudson, or Engl. 
Bot.) — M. Saliva, Engl. Bot. t. 448. — And two others described in 
the 3rd edition of “ Ray’s Synopsis,” pp. 232 & 233. According to 
the observations of Mr. Bkntham, the upper whorl or head of 
flowers, at least on the central branch, is always terminal ; whereas 
in Mentha arvcnsis, a species equally common with this, but usually 
growing in corn-fields, the stem is constantly indeterminate. 
Mentha hirsuta is a native of Europe, and Asiatic Russia, and 
now occurs in almost every part of the globe, but has probably 
migrated from Europe. 
Mr. Sole says, “ tea made of the green leaves of this species is excellent in all 
nervous and hysierick eases.” Mice are said to have a great aversion to the smell 
of mint ; and laying a few green or dry leaves on any articles has been known to 
preserve them from their depredations. 
We are told, in the Language of Flowers, that in Holstein, in Germany, the 
youths carry to funerals a branch of mint as a mark of grief. 
JEcidivm Mentha, DC. Hook. Brit. FI. v. ii. pt. ii. p. 369. ; and XJredo 
Labiatarum, DC. p. 378, are often parasitic on the stems and leaves of this and 
some other species. 
