Prunella
(altered from Brunella, derived from the German Die Braune, a disorder in the jaws and throat, which the plants were supposed to cure). The correct spelling, according to Bentham and Hooker, is Brunella. Self-heal. ORD. Labiatae. A small genus (two or three species) of broadly-dispersed, decumbent or sub-erect, hardy perennial herbs. Flowers purplish, bluish, or white; calyx tubular-campanulate, two-lipped; corolla tube ample, often exserted, the upper lip erect, concave, the lower spreading; whorls six-flowered, in dense, terminal spikes, surrounded by broad, imbricated bracts. Leaves entire, incised-toothed, or pinnatifid. The species are well adapted for ornamenting rockwork, or the front of a flower border. They thrive in any light, rich soil, and may be readily increased by divisions. P. grandiflora (large-flowered). fl., corolla violet or purple, above 1in. long, more than twice the length of the calyx. August. l. petiolate, ovate, often toothed, especially at the base, sometimes sub-hastate, sometimes entire. h. 6in. Europe, 1596. This scarcely differs from P. vulgaris, of which it is probably a variety. (B. M. 337; F. D. 1933.) P. hyssopifolia (Hyssop-leaved). fl. larger than those of P. vulgaris; corolla purplish, rarely white. August. l. sessile, oblong-linear or lanceolate, entire, strigose-hispid. Stems ascending, 6in. to nearly 12in. long, ciliate-hispid. Mediterranean region, 1731.
P. vulgaris (common). All-heal. fl., calyx purplish; corolla purple, rarely rosy or white, 1/2 in. long; whorls in cylindric spikes, 1in. to 3in. long. July to September. l. 1in. to 2in. long, petiolate, the uppermost ones sessile, ovate-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, entire, toothed, or sub-pinnatifid. Stems 4in. to 12in. long, erect or ascending. Europe (Britain). (Sy. En. B. 1059.) There are several varieties of this species.