it is raised from the seed, cats are said not to touch it, while they
work at that which is transplanted and larger. Loudon. It is
still used in decoction as a popular medicinal drink. An exotic
from Britain. It is one of the plants that follows man wherever
he settles.
L eonurus. L . 13. 1.
From the Greek for lion and tail, as its spikes of flowers have
some resemblance to the bushy tail of that animal ; a genus of 7
species in the Northern and Middle parts of Asia.
L. cardiaca. L. Mother Wort. A well-known plant about
houses and gardens ; celebrated formerly for its high medicinal
character, and still considerably used as a popular drink for the
relief of colds and affections of the chest. A fine looking plant,
with handsome flowers, and beautiful 3-lobed leaves ; introduced
into Europe from Tartary, and thence into America, and now
naturalized over a great extent of the earth ; another plant that
follows closely after man in his migrations.
C linopodium. L. 13. 1.
From the Greek for bed and foot, as the cluster of flowers has
some resemblance to the caster of a bed’s fo o t; not a large
genus ; belonging to the eastern continent chiefly.
C. vulgare. L. Wild Basil. Field Thyme. Found in
rocky woods, and doubtless indigenous to this country ; a foot or
more high, with purple or reddish flowers in dense hairy whorls,
with hairy leaves ; aromatic ; July.
L amium. L. 13. 1.
As its flowers have a rude resemblance to some beast, the plant
is named after Lamia, a monster of the sea ; a small genus, chiefly
in Europe.
L. amplexicaule. L. Dead Nettle. Hen-bit. A small slender
plant, in gardens and roadsides, with small rose-colored
flowers, and stem half a foot or more high ; floral leaves broadly
cordate ; May to September.
Marrubium. L. 13. 1.
From the name of a town in Italy on'the Fucine Lake, Maria-
urbs ; a small genus.
•M. vulgare. L. Horehound. This plant is from Britain,
and has become naturalized in many places, in sandy roads and
fields ; aromatic, tonic, diuretic, and laxative, used in affections
of the lungs, and still a popular medicine.
P runella. L. 13. 1.
A softening of the German name of a disease in the jaws and
throat, for which this was considered a specific ; a European genus
of a few species.
P. Pennsylvanica. W. Self-heal. Heal-all. Spread over
fields and pastures, bearing heads of beautiful purplish flowers,
not used to heal any thing.- This is doubtless a mere variety of
P. vulgaris, L ., introduced from Europe.
B allota. L. 13. 1.
B . nigra. L. Black Horehbund. A less common plant,
introduced from Britain about Boston; calyx with 5 teeth and
10 ribs ; stem 2 - 3 feet high, with slightly cordate leaves, flowers
in axillary whorls, white or purple ; July.
From the Greek to reject, on account of its offensive odor.
G aleop s is . L. 13. 1. Hemp Nettle.
From the Greek for weasel and appearance, as the flower is
thought to have some resemblance to that animal ; 8 species of
this genus, chiefly in Europe ; none indigenous to this country.
G. Tetrahit. L. Flowering Nettle. About houses and waste
places, branching, hispid along the stem backwards, and with the
joints thickened towards the upper part, and rather handsome
flowers ; introduced from Europe. In some places it seems to
have sprung up from the straw thrown out from crates of crockery,
introduced from England.