wild flowers the series : Peppermint and Indian Tobacco by Samuel Gottscho

Peppermint, Mentha Piperita, Mint family : when crushed, this plant emanates a pleasing, spicy fragrance, and when distilled, it produces a strong aromatic oil which is the basis of the peppermint flavor so beloved by everyone. It is also used in medicine. The eighteen to thirty-six inch, purplish plant stem terminates in several one to two inch flower spikes on which are massed many minute lavender-f flowers.

The three inch leaves are regularly toothed. A perennial , native of Europe, bloomming July to August, it grows in wet soil from Canada to Florida.    

Indian Tobacco, Labelia inflata, Lobelia family: This common plant grows everywhere, in dry or wet soil, pastures or woods. One to two feet high, it bears one-quarter inch white, light blue-f or light violet flowers which emerge from the stem, growing smaller as they ascend. Though poisonous, the plant was once used medicinally and also served the Indians as tobacco. Its most distinguishing characteristic is the swollen seed case which succeeds the flower. Native perennial ranging from Canada to Georgia and west to the Rockies, July-sept.

image: from google-image