2 28 THE BOTANICAL EXCHANGE CLUB OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 
subpetiolatis serratis glabrioribus, nervis fuscis, staminibus corolla 
lanceolatis brevoribus ; ocymi odore = M. cardiaca , Ger., p. 680, 
M. gentilis, Huds., p. 252. Sole, p. 35. 
Mentha gracilis, Sole. M. floribus verticillatis, verticillis paucioribus 
ac minoribus, foliis petiolatis ovato-lanceolatis serratis, subhirsutis, 
nervis albis pilosis, caule erecto piloso suffruticoso exalbido rubescente 
subramoso, ramulis brevibus erectis, staminibus corolla brevioribus ; 
odore grato. The whirls of flowers are fewer and smaller than in 
\cardiaca\ the leaves stand on footstalks, are of a long ovate pointed 
shape, a little hairy and serrated ; the nerves are white ; it has an 
agreeable aromatic minty smell. It differs from the foregoing in 
having no smell of Basil, and the floral leaves are broader and stand 
on footstalks, whereas in the former they are sessile and very narrow, 
merely bracteals, nor has it the least resemblance to spear mint, which 
[cardiaca] has, p. 38. 
Smith, in FI. Br., 622, 1800, and Eng. FI., Vol. 3, 1824, groups 
true gracilis , cardiaca , and pratensis under the aggregate name of 
gracilis. The var. a. gracilis , Sole, “ gaudet odore M. viridis ” with a 
reference to the “ M. verticillata glabra odore M. sativae,” in Herb. 
Sherard. Var. b., M. pratensis , Sole, “ gaudet odore M. piperita,” var. 
c., M. cardiaca , Gerard, “gaudet odore ocymum.” With a reference 
to “ M. verticill, odore ocymi,” Morison’s Hist. Ox. “ The leaves 
accompanying the whirls in var. c. are very much smaller than the 
rest.” Fortunately in the Sherard Herb at Oxford the specimens 
referred to as Smith’s var. gracilis are still preserved. One of them 
was collected by Dale (who gave the name quoted above), at Booking. 
It has the name “gracilis Sm. Eng. FI.” written in pencil on the sheet. 
The other specimen, probably one of Rand’s, from Stoke Newington, 
is labelled by Sibthorp M. gentilis, which it appears clearly allied to. 
These agree fairly well with Sole’s description (which does not altogether 
match his plate), and with Smith’s description. The plant in Morison’s 
‘ Hist. Ox.’ referred to as cardiaca by Smith is also in existence at 
Oxford in Herb. Morison, and fairly well matches the Shotover plant, 
which widely differs from Smith’s gracilis from Booking, as will be 
seen from the following descriptions I have drawn up. M. gracilis , stem 
smooth, nearly simple ; leaves smooth, light green, shortly stalked ; 
floral leaves large, the upper two pairs without flowers ; veins of 
leaves white ; hairs on calyx, principally confined to margin, straight, 
and rather slender. It has the look of sativa. The Stoke Newington 
plant is not identical. The var. cardiaca , which agrees with our 
Shotover plant, may be thus characterised : leaves profusely glandular, 
with red veins, thicker in texture, often purplish in colour, gradually 
diminishing in size, until the upper bracts scarcely exceed the 
verticillasters ; calyx covered with stiffer falcate hairs; stems repeatedly 
branched, thinly clothed with shaggy hairs. The plant has somewhat 
the aspect of M. viridis , of which it possesses the odour to a marked 
extent, in this respect only agreeing with Smith’s gracilis. The 
Shotover plant we must therefore call M. cardiaca (Ger.), Baker. 
Having in mind the Sherardian specimen of M. gracilis , I should not 
be inclined to think that it has any connection with our cardiaca save 
