MEL 
folio, pulegii odore. Bocc. Muf. Roman Calamint with 
a Marjoram leaf . , and the f. cent of Penny Royal. 
8. Melissa ( Fruticofa ) fruticofa, rainis attenuatis virga- 
tis,foliis fubtus tom en toils. Lin. Sp.Plant. 593, Shrubby 
Baum with fender twig- like branches , and leaves which 
are woolly on their under fvde. Calamintha Hifpanica 
frutefcens, mari folio. Tolar n. Inft. 194. Shrubby 
Spanifh Calamint with a Marum leaf. 
The firff fort grows naturally on the mountains near 
Geneva, and in Lome parts of Italy, but is cultivated 
here in gardens as a medicinal and culinary herb. It 
has a perennial root, and an annual ffalk, which is 
fquare, branching, and rifes from two to three feet 
high, garnifhed with leaves fet by pairs at each joint, 
which are two inches and a half long, and almoft two 
inches broad at their bafe,* growing narrower toward 
the top, indented about their edges, and the lower 
ones Handing upon pretty long foot-ftalks. The 
flowers grow in loofe fmall bunches at the wings of 
the ffalk, in whorls. Handing upon Angle foot- 
ftalks ; they are of the lip kind, the upper lip Hand- 
ing eredt and is forked ; the under lip is divided into 
three parts ; the middle one is roundifh, and indent- 
ed at the top. The flowers are white, and appear in 
July. The whole plant has a pleafant fcent, fome- 
what like Lemons. 
It is reckoned to be cordial, cephalic, and good for 
ail difordersof the head and nerves •, there is a Am- 
ple water of this herb. It is alfo ufed as Tea, and 
is by fome greatly efteemed for that purpofe ; there 
is a variety of this with Hriped leaves. 
This plant is eafily propagated by parting of the 
root ; the beH time for this is in October, that the 
offsets may have time to get root before the froHs 
come on. The roots may be divided into fmall pieces 
with three or four buds to each, and planted two feet 
apart in beds of common garden earth, in which they 
will foon fpread and meet together ; the only culture 
it requires is to keep it clean from weeds, and cut off 
the decayed flalks in autumn, ffirring the ground 
between the plants. 
The fecond fort grows naturally about Rome, and 
in feveral parts of Italy ; this hath a perennial root, 
and an annual ffalk like the former. The Halks are 
flender, the leaves are much fhorter than thofe, of 
the former fort, and the whole plant is hairy, and 
of a ffrong difagreeable odour. The flowers grow 
in whorls, fitting pretty clofe to the branches, and 
are fmaller than thofe of the firff fort; it flowers 
about the fame time. It is feldom preferved in 
gardens, but may be cultivated in the fame way as 
the former. 
The third fort grows naturally in the mountains of 
Tufcany and Auffria, but is preferved in many Eng- 
lifh gardens for the fake of variety. It hath a peren- 
nial root, and an annual ffalk, which rifes about a foot 
high, garnifhed at each joint with two leaves Hand- 
ing oppoffte, which are an inch and a half long, and 
three quarters of an inch broad, fawed on their edges, 
of a lucid green on their upper fide, and whitifli on 
their under : from the wings of the Halks come out 
Angle foot-flalks half an inch long, which divide in- 
to two fmaller, and each of thefe fuffain two flowers 
upon fliort feparate foot-ffalks. The flowers are large, 
of a purple colour, and fhaped like thofe of the other 
fpecies. It flowers in June, and the feeds ripen in 
Auguff. This may be propagated in the fame way 
as the firff fort, and the plants may be treated in the 
fame manner. 
The fourth fort is the common Calamint of the fhops, 
which grows naturally in many parts of England, fo is 
feldom kept in gardens. It hath a perennial root, 
from which arife feveral fquare Halks near a foot long, 
which are hairy, and garnifhed with two roundifh 
leaves at each joint, about the fize of thofe of Pot 
Marjoram, a little indented on their edges, and of a 
ffrong penetrating odour. The flowers come out in 
whorls on the fide of the Halks, upon foot-ffalks, 
which divide by pairs, and are as long as the leaves ; 
thefe fuffain feveral fmall bluifh flowers, which appear 
M E L 
in July, and are fucceeded each by four fmall, round- 
ifh, black feeds. The herb is ufed in medicine, and 
is hotter, and abounds with more fubtile and volatile 
parts than Mint. It provokes urine, brings down 
the menfes, opens the liver, and is good for coughs. 
This may be planted in gardens, and treated in '"the 
fame way as the common Baum. 
The fifth fort is found in greater plenty than the 
fourth, growing wild in England. The ftalks of this 
are longer and bend towards the ground. The leaves 
are larger, and more indented on their edges, and 
have a very ffrong fcent like Penny Royal. The 
whorls of flowers are fet clofer together than thofe of 
the fourth fort, but in other refpebfs they agree. 
The fixth fort grows naturally in the fputh of France 
and in Italy •, this is not of fo long duration as the 
former forts, feldom continuing more than two or 
three years. The ftalks are flender, a little ligneous, 
and are garnifhed with fmall, roundifh, hoary leaves, 
placed oppofite at each joint. The flowers are pro- 
duced in whorls toward the upper part of the 
ftalks, which are terminated by a loofe fpike ; they 
are fmall and white, fhaped like thofe of the other 
fpecies, and appear in June ; thefe are fucceeded by 
feeds, which ripen in autumn, and if they are per " 
rnitted to fcatter, there will be a fufficient fupply of 
young plants. 
The feventh fort grows naturally in Italy ; this is a 
biennial plant, whole ftalks are about eight inches 
long, declining toward the ground, and are garnifhed 
with roundifh leaves about the lize of Marjoram, of 
a light green colour. The flowers come out in clofe 
whorls on the upper part of the ftalks, each Handing 
upon a fhort feparate foot-ffalk ; they are large, and 
of a bright purple colour, appearing in July and Auguff, 
and the feeds ripen in autumn ; this is propagated 
by feeds, which fhould be Town foon after they are 
ripe, and then the plants will come up in the fpring ; 
but when the feeds are not fown till the fpring, 
they feldom grow till the next year. The plants may 
alfo be propagated by cuttings, which if planted in 
the fummer, and fhaded from the fun, will take root 
very freely. If thefe plants are on a warm border, 
they will live through the winter, but to preferve the 
fpecies, a plant or two fhould be kept in pots, and 
fheltered under a frame in winter. 
The eighth fort grows naturally in Spain ; this hath 
flender fhrubby ftalks about nine inches long, which 
put out fmall fide branches oppofite, and are garnifh- 
ed with fmall, hoary, oval-pointed leaves, placed by 
pairs; thefe have much the appearance of thofe of the 
Marum. The flowers grow in whorled fpikes, at the 
end of the ftalks ; they are fmall and white, appear- 
ing in July, and the feeds ripen in autumn. The 
whole plant has a ffrong fcent of Penny Royal ; this 
plant is of as fhort a duration as the feventh fort, and 
may be propagated either by feeds or cuttings in the 
fame way as the feventh, and the plants require the 
fame treatment. 
MELISSA TURCICA. See Dracocepha- 
LON. 
M E L I T T I S. Greater Dead Nettle. 
The Characters are, 
It hath an erect, taper , bell-jhaped empalement , having 
two lips ; the upper is tall and indented , the under is floor t 
and bifid ; the flower is ringent , the tube is longer than 
the empalement , the chaps are thicker ; the upper lip is 
roundifh , plain , and ere 0 ; the lower is trifid , fpreading , 
and obtufe. It hath four ftamina , which are awlflhaped, 
Jituated under the upper lip , two being a little longer than 
the other , terminated by bifid obtufe fummits , which are 
placed a crofs ; it hath an obtufe , quadrifid , hairy gjrmen 
fupporting a flender ftyle , crowned by a bifid acute JUg- 
ma. Phe flower is fucceeded by four feeds which ripen in 
the empalement. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the firff; fedlion of 
Linnaeus’s fourteenth clafs, intitled Didynamia Gym- 
nofpermia, the flowers having two long and two fhort 
ftamina, and are fucceeded by four naked feeds, fit- 
ting in the empalement, 
We 
