c L i 
f Clinopodium ( Carolinianum ) caule eredio, noil ramofo, 
foliis fubtus villofis, verticillis paucioribus, bradteis 
calyce longioribus. : Field Bafil with an upright nn- 
hfanching ftalk , leaves hairy on their under ftde , fewer 
whorls , and brtt&ea longer than the empalement . Cli- 
nopodium Americanum, eredtum, non ramofum fo- 
liis longioribus, internodiis longiffimis. Dale. 
6 . Clinopodium ( Mgyptiacum ) foliis ovatis rugofis, 
verticillis omnibus diftantibus, i. e. Field , Bafil with 
Wal rough leaves , and the whorls of flowers ftanding at 
■a great diftance. Clinopodium dEgyptiacum, vulgari 
fimile. Dill. ^Egyptian Field Bafil like the common. 
The firft fort grows naturally by the fide of hedges 
and in thickets, in many parts of England •, this hath 
a perennial fibrous root, which fends up feveral ftiff 
fquare ftalks afoot and a half high, from which come out 
a few lateral branches toward the top, garnifhed with 
oval hairy leaves, placed oppofite ; at the top of the 
ftalks the flowers come out in round whorls, or heads ; 
one of thefe terminate the ftalk, and there is generally 
another which furrounds the ftalk at the joint im- 
mediately below it. The flowers are fometimes purple, 
at others white, for they vary from one colour to the 
other, when they are propagated by feeds, fo that 
both colours are found naturally in the fields. The 
whorls (or heads) grow very clofe, and each foot- 
ftalk fuftains feveral flowers ; each flower hath a tu- 
bular empalement, ending in five fharp points, which 
ftand eredt ; at the bafe of the empalement Hand two 
briftly fpines, which Linnaeus terms the bradtea •, 
thefe fland almoft: horizontal under the empalement. 
The flower is of the labiated, or lip kind, according 
to Tournefort, Ray, &c. which is now ftyled ringent, 
or grinning, from the appearance which the upper 
part has to the mouth, or chaps of animals. The 
upper lip is broad and trifid, but the under is cut 
into two narrow fegments ; each flower is fucceeded 
by four naked feeds, fitting at the bottom of the em- 
palement. This flowers in June. 
The fecond fort grows naturally in Penfylvania and 
Carolina, from both of thefe countries I have fre- 
quently received the feeds •, this hath a perennial root, 
which lends up many fquare ftalks about two feet 
high, which put out a few fhort fide branches toward 
the upper part, garnifhed with oblong oval leaves, 
about the fize of thofe of Water Mint, ftanding op- 
pofite, clofe to the ftalk ; they are hoary, and foft to 
the touch, and have a ftrong odour, between that of 
Marjoram and Bafil. The upper furface of the leaves 
is of a pale green, but their under fide is hoary and 
woolly, they are (lightly indented on their edges. 
The flowers grow in flat finooth whorls round the 
ftalks, each ftalk hath generally three of thefe whorls, 
the upper which terminates the ftalk being ftnaller, 
the other two increafing, fo that the lower is the 
greateft. The flowers are of a pale purple colour, 
and fhaped like thofe of the firft fort, but the (lamina 
of this ftands out beyond the petal, and the bradlea 
at the bafe of the empalement are large, fpear-fhaped, 
and indented on their fides. This plant is called 
Snake-weed in fome parts of America, fuppofing it 
a remedy for the bite of rattle fhakes. This flowers 
in July in England. 
The third fort grows naturally in Carolina, from 
whence the feeds were fent me by the late Dr. Dale : 
this hath a perennial root, which fends up feveral 
fquare ftalks, which are clofely covered with browniflh 
hairs ; thefe rife between two and three feet high, 
garnifhed with leaves which are very unequal in their 
fize, thofe at the bottom, and alfo toward the top, 
being above three inches long, and one inch and a 
quarter broad, whereas thole in other parts of the 
ftalk are not half fo large ; they are rough on their 
Upper fide, hairy below, and fawed on their edges, 
ftanding oppofite : all the lower part of the ftalk, but 
immediately below the foot-ftalks of the flower-heads, 
there are three large leaves ftanding round .the ftalks ; 
between thefe arife two (lender hairy foot-ftalks, 
about three inches long, one on each fide the ftalk ; 
thefe fuftain Email heads of flowers, fhaped like thofe 
of the fcabious j they are white, fhaped like tiiofe 
of the other, but (mailer ; the brSdtea immediately' 
under the empalement, fpread out like rays. This 
plant flowers in September in this country, but never 
ripens its feeds here. 
The feeds of the fourth fort were fent me from Ca- 
rolina, by the late Dr. Dale ; this hath fome appear- 
ance of our common fort, but the ftalks do not grow 
more than half fo high, and divide into many' long; 
fide branches ; the leaves are fmaller and rougher, ana 
the whorls of flowers are produced half the length of 
the branches, whereas the common fort hath rarely 
more than two ; the bradlea at the bafe of the em- 
palement is alfo much longer. This flowers in June 
and July, and hath a perennial root. 
The fifth fort was fent me by the late Dr. Dale, from 
Carolina ; this hath a perennial root, which lends up 
ftrait hairy ftalks, almoft round ; the joints of thefe 
are four or five inches afunder, at each of thefe come 
out two oblong leaves, hairy on their under fide, 
ftanding upon fhort foot-ftalks - at the bottom of 
thefe come out on each fide a (lender branch, half 
an inch long, having two or four f'mall leaves, fhaped 
like the other. The flowers are produced in fmall 
whorls, ftanding thinly thefe are white, and the 
bradlea are longer than the empalement. This flowers 
in Auguft. 
The fixth fort is a native of Egypt, from Whence the 
feeds were fent to Europe, and the plants have for 
fome years paft grown in many curious gardens. It 
hath a perennial root ; the ftalks rife a foot and an 
half high, garnifhed with oval leaves, having many 
tranfverfe deep furrows, of a dark green "colour, 
placed oppofite, at about five or fix inches afunder. 
There are commonly two or four fide branches from 
the main ftem, produced toward the bottom ; and 
the whorls of flowers are produced at every joint to- 
ward the upper part of the ftalks : thefe are pretty- 
large and hairy. The flowers are fomewhat larger 
than thofe of the common Field Bafil, and are of a 
deeper colour, ftretching a little more out of the em- 
palement. The leaves of this have at firft fight much 
the fame appearance ; but when they are obferved 
with attention, the difference is foon obferved be- 
tween the tv/o forts : but the greateft difference is 
in the leaves and whorls of flowers Being placed at a 
greater diftance, and the ftalks growing fparfedly in 
this fpecies ; nor do the plants continue fo long as 
thofe of the common fort. 
This fort flowers in June, commonly a fortnight or 
three weeks before the common Field Bafil, and the 
feeds ripen in September; which, if permitted to 
flatter, the plants will come up in autumn ; and if 
the winter proves favourable, they will live in the 
open air, provided they grow on a dry foil ; but in 
moift ground they are frequently deftroyed, efpecially 
when the plants are young. 
This plant approaches near to the Clinopodium Qri- 
entale Origani folio, flore minimo. Tour. Coroh 12. 
But by comparing this with a fpecimen of that fort 
from the Paris garden, I find the leaves of that are 
fmoother, and placed much nearer together on the 
ftalks than thofe of this fort ; the flowers are fmaller, 
fo that it may be deemed a diftincl fpecies, as thefe 
differences are permanent, and do not alter in any of 
the plants which arife from the feeds. 
Thefe plants may be propagated by feeds, and alfo 
by parting their roots ; the latter is generally prac- 
tifed in England, becaufe few of the forts perfedt 
their feeds here. The beft time to tranfplant and 
part their roots is in autumn, that they may take 
root before winter. If thefe are planted in a dry foil, 
they are all, except the third fort, hardy enough 
to thrive in the open air in England, and require no 
other care but to keep them clean from weeds, and 
every other year they may be tranfplanted and parted; 
The third fort muft be planted in pots, and in win- 
ter fheltered under a frame, where the plants may 
enjoy the free air in mild weather, but flreened 
from froft, otherwife they will not live in this country, 
CL1TO-RIA. 
