1024 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
983. Mentha viridis , Linn., h.f.b.i., iv. 647. 
Vern. : — Pudina (B., Mar., Guz., Tel. and Sind.); Pud in A, 
pudina kuhi, pahari pudina (Pb.) ; Pabari pudina (Hind.) ; 
Nagbo, shah-sufiain (Pers.) 
Habitat : — Cultivated in Indian gardens. 
A perennial herb, with a pungent smell, glabrous or nearly 
so. Leaves all sessile, or the lower only petioled, oblong-lanceo- 
late, subacute, sessile, smooth above. Spikes slender. Whorls 
in terminal spikes ; bracts minute. Throat of Calyx glabrous. 
Corolla glabrous without and within. Probably a cultivated 
form of M. sylvestris (-J. D. Hooker). 
Uses: — The medicinal properties and uses of the oil obtained 
by distillation from the fresh herb, are similar to those of 
Peppermint, but it is only less powerful in its action. The 
seeds are mucilaginous. Leaves given in fever and bronchitis. 
Decoction used as lotion for aphthae (Dr. Emerson). 
984. M. piperita, Linn., h.f.b.i., iv. 647. 
Habitat : — Cultivated in Indian gardens. 
A perennial glabrous strong-scented herb. Leaves petioled 
l-4in , acute or obtuse at base, coarsely serrate, smooth above, 
rarely sparingly, hairy on the nerves below, ovate or oblong- 
lanceolate, upper smaller, sometimes bracteiform. Whorls in 
terminal spikes. Spikes cylindric, interrupted below. Bracts 
minute. Pedicels and (lowers glabrous, or very sparingly hispid. 
Calyx often red. Probably a garden form M. Aquatica, as 
suggested by Bentham (J. D. Hooker). 
Use : — Officinal in the British and Indian Pharmacopoeias. 
985. M. sylvestris, Linn., h.f.b.i., iv. 647. 
Vern. : — Pudina (H., B., M., G. Tam.); Chetni-Maragi (Kan.). 
Habitat : — Temperate Western Himalaya, from Kashmir to 
Garhwal. 
A strongly scented erect or diffuse herb. Rootstock creep- 
ing ; stems l-3ft., hoary-pubescent. Leaves nearly sessile, 
lanceolate, ovate or oblong, l-3in. , sharply toothed, acute ; upper 
surface hoary pubescent, lower white tomentose Flowers small, 
lilac in large whorls crowded in axillary and terminal cylindric 
