THE DEAD-NETTLE FAMILY 
cluster (panicle) ; the calyx-teeth fringed with long hairs, the tube straight. [As described in the 
genus Calamint (Calamintha).] The stem 1-2 feet high, erect, branched, but rather straggling ; 
the leaves on rather long stalks, egg-shaped (ovate), and indistinctly toothed, green on both sides. 
The whole plant is more or less hairy. ( Calamintha officinalis. Moench .) \Plate 35. 
Not uncommon. In dry places, hedges, waysides, and dry banks ; throughout England and 
Ireland. July — August. Perennial. 
3. Lesser Calamint. (Calamin'tha N6peta. Savi.) — A very similar species to the last 
but with more numerous flowers in much looser forked clusters ; the calyx-teeth fringed with short 
hairs ; and the stems usually many from the crown of the root, with shortly stalked more distinctly 
toothed leaves which are pale on the under side. (Calamintha parviflora. Lam.) 
Rare. On dry banks and by waysides, especially on chalky soil ; in the southern and south- 
eastern counties of England. July — August. Perennial. 
4. Wood Calamint. (Calamin'tha grandiflora. Moench.) — Another species similar 
to the Common Calamint (Calamintha montana) but with larger and more numerous flowers, 
f-i inch long, in forked clusters ; the middle lobe of the lower lip of the corolla hardly longer 
than the side ones and all very broad ; and the leaves larger, broader, and more sharply toothed, 
(i Calamintha sylvatica. Bromf.) 
Very rare. On dry banks ; in the Isle of Wight and in Devonshire. August — October. 
Perennial. 
XIV. *BALM. (MELISSA. Linn.) — A genus very similar to the last, the Calamint (Calamintha) ; 
differing in its corolla-tube, which is curved instead of being straight, and in the anther-cells of each 
stamen, which are united at the top instead of diverging. 
^Common Balm. (Melis'sa offiein&lis. Linn.) — The only species found in Britain, 
which is, however, not a native, though it is naturalised in many places. The flowers are 
J-f inch long, w r hite, sometimes spotted with rose, in shortly stalked, i-sided (secund), few-flowrered 
clusters in the axils of the leaves (false whorls) ; the calyx is rather bell-shaped, the 2 teeth of the 
low T er lip being narrow, pointed, and longer than the 3 broader but pointed teeth of the upper lip. 
The stems are 1-2 feet high, much branched, stout, erect, and hairy; and the leaves are stalked, 
egg-shaped (ovate), scalloped (crenate), wTinkled (rugose), and hairy. The whole plant is fragrant. 
Not a native. By waysides and on banks ; naturalised in many counties of England, chiefly in the 
south and southern Midlands, also in the Isle of Wight. July — August. Perennial. 
XV. NEPETA. Linn. — Flowers often purple-blue, in more or less distant clusters in the axils 
of the leaves (false whorls) or crow'ded together into spike-like clusters. Calyx of 5 sepals united 
into a 15-ribbed tube and separating into 5 teeth, inserted below the seedcase (inferior); corolla of 
5 petals united into a tube and separating into 2 lips (bilabiate), the upper erect, notched or 
2-lobed, and the lower spreading and 3-lobed, inserted below the seedcase (hypogynous) ; stamens 
4, in unequal pairs (didynamous), the inner pair being longer than the outer and projecting beyond 
it, instead of being shorter and remaining inside the outer pair as in most genera of this order, 
included in the upper lip of the corolla, each pair of anthers approaching one another, inserted on 
the corolla-tube (epi-petalous) ; carpels 2, united into a 4-celled seedcase and a long style divided 
at the apex into 2 stigmas ; fruit of 4 little nuts (cocca). Herbs of various habits with square 
stems and opposite leaves. 
(1) Cat-mint. (Nepeta Catdria.) — Flowers white, in a terminal spike, loose at the base. 
(2) Ground Ivy. (Nepeta hederacea.) — Flowers purple, in distant clusters. 
