Perennial branching herbs, or low shrubs, with dentate or entire leaves, and rather small, clustered, purple or white flowers. Calyx tubular-ovoid, 10-13-nerved, villous in the throat, equally 5-toothed. Corolla 2-lipped, longer than the calyx, the upper lip erect, emar-ginate, the lower spreading, 3-cleft. Anther-bearing stamens 2, long-exserted, straight, the posterior pair rudimentary, or wanting; anther-sacs parallel. Ovary deeply 4-parted; style slender, 2-cleft at the summit. Nutlets smooth; scar of attachment basal and small. [Latin name of some plant.]

About 15 species, natives of America. The following typical species is the only one known in the United States.

1. Cunila Origanoides (L.) Britton. Stone Mint. Sweet Horse-Mint. American Dittany. Wild Basil

Fig. 3672

Satureia origanoides L. Sp. Pl. 568. 1753.

Cunila Mariana L. Syst. Ed. 10, 1359. 1759.

Hedyosmos origanoides Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 520. 1891.

Cunila origanoides Britton, Mem. Torr. Club 5: 278. 1894.

Plant very aromatic; stem slender, stiff, branched, glabrous, or pubescent at the nodes, erect, 8'-2o' high, the branches ascending. Leaves ovate, sessile or very short-petioled, acute at the apex, sharply serrate, rounded, truncate or subcordate at the base, 1/2'-1 1/2' long, densely punctate; flowers nearly i' long, numerous in terminal loose cymose clusters; corolla purple-pink, one-half as long as the stamens; posterior pair of stamens usually rudimentary.

In dry woods and thickets, southern New York to Florida, west to Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. Aug.-Sept.