Flora Medica

LAMIACE.&, OR LABIATE.Europe, and the southern side of the Mediterranean. (CommonLavender.)A shrub 1-2 feet high. Leaves oblong-linear or lanceolate, entire,when young hoary and revolute at the edges. Spikes interrupted.Whorls of 6-10 flowers. Floral leaves rhomboid-ovate, acuminate,membranous, all fertile, the uppermost shorter than the calyx. Bractsscarcely any. Scnth. The spikes of flowers contain a fragrant volatileoil in great abundance, together with a bitter principle. They are carminative,stimulant and tonic, but are more employed in perfumery thanin medicine. Leaves'and flowers have been used as sternutatories ; oilof lavender is obtained by distillation, and is sometimes given inhysteria and nervous headach. Spirit of Lavender is prepared by distillinglavender flowers with rectified spirit, a sufficient quantity of water beingadded to prevent empyreuma. Lavender enters into the composition ofEau de Cologne, and the Vinaigre aux quatre voleurs.996. L. Spica DC.fl.fr. v. 397. Benth. lab. 149. L. SpicaLinn. ft. sp. pi 800. L. latifolia Vill. fl. dauph.ii. 363.South of Europe, and barren situations on the African side ofthe Mediterranean. (French Lavender.)A shrub rather more dwarf than the last, and more hoary. Leavesoblong-lanceolate, somewhat spathulate, entire, much narrowed at thebase, somewhat revolute at the edge, hoary on both sides. Spikessomewhat interrupted. Whorls of from 6 to 10 flowers. Floral leaveslanceolate or linear, all fertile, the upper ones shorter than theBracts linear-subulate, shorter than the calyx. Benth.calyx.This is notemployed medicinally, but yields what is called oil of spike, which isused by painters on porcelain and in the preparation of varnishes forartists.997. Lavandula Stcechas L. has long been employed mediciallyby the Arabs, who consider it a valuable expectorant andantispasmodic.998. Dysophylla Auricularia Blum, has been recommendedas a stimulating application in the treatment of deafness.MENTHA.Calyx campanulate or tubular, 5-toothed, equal or somewhat2-lipped, with the throat naked inside or villous. Corolla withthe tube enclosed, the limb campanulate, nearly equal, 4-cleft :the upper segment broader, nearly entire or emarginate. Stamens4, equal, erect, distant; filaments smooth, naked; antherswith 2 parallelcells. Style shortly Jbifid, with the lobes bearingstigmas at the points. Fruit dry, smooth. Benth.999. M. viridis Linn. sp. pi. 804-. Sole menth. britt. t. 5.Woodv. t. 170. Eng. Bot. t. 24-24. Benth. lab. 173. Marshyplaces in the milder parts of Europe, the Canaries, the Cape ofGood Hope, and America, both North and South. (SpearMint.)A creeping-rooted herbaceous plant, with an erect smooth stem.