W h o l e plant covered with a dense, short down, obscuring the
vividness of the green. Root perennial, branched, fibrous. Stem
from eight inches to two feet high, four-sided, often simple, but
mostly very much branched above; branches opposite, erect, each
terminating in a loose raceme, garnished with small leaves. Leaves
lanceolate-oblong, obtuse, attenuated at base; those at the root
ovate, with an obscure tooth or two, and distinctly petiolated. The
first and second, and occasionally the third pairs of the stem, very entire,
sub-petiolated, the petiole being somewhat winged by continuation
of the margin of the leaf. The upper stem-leaves closely sessile.
The branch-leaves linear and sessile, all obtuse, entire, opposite,
situated in pairs on the alternate sides of the quadrangular stem,
and covered with a multitude of dots beneath. Corolla densely invested
with down, campanula-purple, having a white, confluent,
divided spot on the lower lip of the palate. Stamens flax-blue, with
purple, globose anthers; pistil blue, with a round stigma, all arcuate,
retaining the arch of the upper lip and tube of the corolla.
Flowers numerous, borne in long, loose, leafy, terminal racemes.
Calix covered with fine down, gaping to receive the tube of the
corolla, and crowned with a concave appendage, as is common to
the genus; small during inflorescence, but subsequently enlarging
until the fruit become mature. Seeds small, black, irregularly roundish,
and exteriorly corrugated. Inhabits wet, low grounds, meadows
and bogs, from New York to Carolina. Flowers in July and August.
The plant just described is the finest of the American species of
the genus. No one who has seen a single individual of this tribe in
fruit, could readily forget the singular form of the calix, or rather
the capsule, which has given rise to the generic term Scutellaria.
The scutella of the Romans was a small dish or saucer, to the shape
of which the capsules of these plants have been supposed to bear
a close resemblance; and hence, or to the term scutulum, or little
shield, to which the coronal appendage has been likened, the genus
owes its name. It was called Cassida by Tournefort, from a comparison
of the calix of the fruit to a helmet. The English name
Scull-cap, imposed on the whole genus, is referable to a similar resemblance
to a kind of cap which fits close to the head (or scull)
to which a flat, concave crown is superincumbent.
The American plants of this genus, are far from being well defined
or described. Several species are confounded with each other,
and though designated in the books, are imperfectly discriminated.
The present one has been passed by since the time of Michaux,
as a mere variety of S. integrifolia, a plant itself not well known,
and often confounded with one or two others. Yet it was discerned
by Linnseus; and the plant here figured, is the genuine S. hyssopifolia
of the Species Plantarum. It is designated by Gronovius as having
very entire leaves, and he seems to have known it well, though his
references to Plukenet and Ray are incorrectly applied to this species.
It is the S. hyssopifolia of Willdenow, and ofMuhlenburg’s catalogue
and herbarium; and as its name is very appropriate and expressive,
from the resemblance of the leaves to those of hyssop,
there does not appear any good reason for assigning to it the specific