178 
POPULAR FLORA. 
Vervain. Verbena. 
* Showy Verbenas: low and showy-flowered species, in gardens in summer, the greater part from 
South America, viz. V. Melindres (red) and others, now much mixed. And there is one species 
of this sort wild in Western prairies, viz. : — 
1. Aublet’s Verbena. Rather hairy; leaves pinnatifid or cut ; spikes flat-topped in blossom, like a 
corymb ; corolla light purple, &c. V. Aubletia. 
* * Common Vervains: weeds or weed-like plants, in fields and road-sides, with small flowers in 
long spikes, which are generally panicled. 
2. Common V. Erect, slenderly branched, 1° to 3° high; leaves sessile, cleft or pinnatifid and cut- 
toothed; spikes very slender; flowers very small, purplish. V. officinalis. 
S. White V. Leaves petioled, ovate or oval, serrate ; spikes of white flowers very slender. V. urticifolia. 
4. Blue V. Leaves petioled, lance-shaped or lance-oblong, the lower often cut or 2-lobed at the base; 
spikes of blue flowers thick and close; stem 4° to 6° high. V. hastata. 
5. Low V. Stems £o to 1° high; leaves lance-linear, sessile, scarcely toothed; spikes one or few, 
thickish; flowers purple. S. and W. V. angustifolia . 
63. SAGE or MINT FAMILY. Order LABIATE. 
Herbs with square stems and opposite aromatic leaves, a 2-lipped (or rather irregular) . 
corolla, 4 stamens in pairs (2 long and 2 shorter), or else only 2 sta- 
mens, and a 4-parted ovary, in fruit making 4 akenes around the 
base of the single style. That is, among the families with 2-lipped 
or irregular monopetalous corollas this is at once known by the 4- 
lobed ovary, making 4 akenes. The leaves are commonly more or 
less dotted with small glands, which contain a volatile oil, peculiar to 
each species. This gives the warm aromatic properties which all 
plants of this family possess. By distillation, the oil is extracted from 
several species, as from Peppermint and Spearmint, Lavender, Pen- 
nyroyal, &c. Or the dried foliage is used for seasoning or for herb 
drinks in the case of Summer- Savory, Marjoram, Thyme, Catnip, 
and Sage. The following are the common genera or kinds of this 
t-ii. jtislii ui me same, me t- ■, *1 
lobed ovary in the bottom of large tamiiy. 
the calyx, half of which is 
cut away. 
* Stamens 4, turned down so as to rest upon the lower lip of the corolla. 
Flowers in racemes, white: calyx soon reflexed, its upper lobe large and round: upper 
lip of the corolla 4-cleft, the lower entire. Leaves ovate, fragrant, ( Ocimum ) * Sweet-Basil. 
Flowers in a naked and peduncled spike, pale blue: calyx narrow, 5-toothed: the 5 lobes 
of the corolla almost equal : stamens short: leaves narrow, hoary, ( Lavandula ) ^Lavender. 
* * Stamens 4, ascending, and projecting from the upper side of the corolla. Akenes veiny. 
Corolla cleft down the upper side, the lower lobe much larger than the other 4. Flowers 
purplish, rarely white, in a spike, ( Teucrium) Germander. 
Corolla with the border cleft into 5 almost equal lobes, blue. 
Stamens very long, curved : lobes of the corolla turned rather forward, ( Trichostema ) Blue-curls. 
Stamens slightly projecting from the equally 5-lobed corolla, ( Isdnthus ) False- Pennyroyal. 
