flowers and mode of growth, as by the long-stalked, cymose
and lax verticillasters it constitutes, as it were, the stepping-
stone of transition from that to the genuine Calamint section
of the genus Melissa as defined by Mr. Bentham.
The specimen of Melissa Calamintha in the Linnaean herbarium,
authenticated by the usual mark of reference to Linnaeus’s
own copy of the Species Plantarum, seems rather to be
the M. Nepeta of British authors, and scarcely differs, except
in the length of the common flower-stalks, from another specimen
so named and equally authenticated in the handwriting
of Linnaeus. To the former the word Nepeta with a query (?)
is attached by Smith, clearly indicating a doubt as to which
species it should be referred : at all events it has nothing to
do with the species before us. Neither is the specimen representing
M. Calamintha in Clifford’s herbarium, which we
have consulted, our sylvatica, but rather, if we mistake not,
M. grandiflora, or perhaps M. caroliniana.
Mr. Borrer has long had C. sylvatica unchanged by cultivation
in his own garden, having received it from that of
Chelsea as Melissa umbrosa; but neither ours nor the C. um-
brosa of Reichenbach* has anything to do with the original
plant of Bieberstein, which is a strictly oriental species. Mr.
Bentham tells me that he has gathered our C. sylvatica in the
Pyrenees, that it is not uncommon in France, and that he has
always regarded it as the Melisa Calamintha of Linnaeus.
Mr. Woods has collected a plant in Kent -which he considers
identical with the present; and as far as can be judged of
from the single and not very good specimen seen by us, we
are disposed to coincide with that gentleman and our kind
friend Mr. Borrer in thinking them the same.
Unlike the common kind, our Wood Calamint loves a
sheltered situation; and it does not thrive so well in the open
flower-border as when treated as an in-door or greenhouse
plant, like the Balm of Gilead, by which method of culture it
becomes highly luxuriant and ornamental.—W. A. B.
* May not the figure of Thymus Calamintha present the C. umbrosa of Reichenbach ? It is veinry E unnglilk. eB toht.e tc.o m16m76on. rCe.
officinalis, and we have never seen a plant agreeing with it.