Inflorescences terminal on main and lateral branches, spike-like, verticils crowded, many-flowered; flowers small; bracts leaf-like to smaller than leaves; bracteoles linear
Corolla slightly longer than calyx, obscurely bilabiate, 4-lobed; tube funnel-shaped
Stamens 4, arising at middle of corolla tube, subequal, spreading, normally exserted (shorter when abortive); filaments linear; anthers 2-thecous
Disc shallowly lobed
Style linear, exserted, shortly 2-fid
Nutlets ovoid, smooth or reticulate
x = 6 (8, 10) (aneuploids, high polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
Mentha L.
Linnaeus: 576 (1753)
Linnaeus: 250 (1754)
Bentham: 168 (1833)
Bentham: 164 (1848)
Bentham: 1182 (1876)
Briquet: 317 (1896)
Baker: 451 (1900)
Cooke: 303 (1910)
Harley: 183 (1972)
Codd: 107 (1985)
Distribution & Notes:
Global: Species 25, mainly in temperate regions of the Old World
Southern Africa: Species 2: Mentha aquatica L. and M. spicata L. and three varieties of M. longifolia (L.) Huds., widespread
References:
BAKER, J.G. 1900. Verbenaceae, Labiatae. Flora of tropical Africa 5
BENTHAM, G. 1832-1836. Labiatarum genera et species. James Ridgeway and Sons, Piccadilly
BENTHAM, G.1848. Labiatae. In A. de Candolle, Prodromus 12. Victor Masson, Paris
BENTHAM, G. 1876. Labiatae. In G. Bentham & J.D. Hooker, Genera plantarum 2. Lovell Reeve & Co., Covent Garden
BRIQUET, J. 1895-1897. Labiatae. Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien 4,3a
CODD, L.E. 1985. Lamiaceae. Flora of southern Africa 28
COOKE, T. 1910. Labiatae. Flora capensis 5,1
HARLEY, R.M. 1972. Mentha. Flora europaea 3
LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum. Salvius, Stockholm
LINNAEUS, C. 1754. Genera plantarum, edn 5. Salvius, Stockholm
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