| Family: | Lamiaceae; Labiatae |
|---|---|
| Common name: | mint family [Zomlefer, pp. 265-270] |
| Diversity: | Worldwide: 200 genera; 3,000 species U.S.: 50 genera PNW (Hitchcock & Cronquist): 24 genera |
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| Flower | |
|---|---|
| K(5) Co(5) S2, 2+2 P(2) | |
| Sexuality: | bisexual |
| Symmetry: | zygomorphic |
| Inflorescence: | raceme or cyme, in whorls or leaf axils |
| Calyx (sepals): | 5, united, sometimes bilabiate (two lips) |
| Corolla (petals): | 5, fused into a tube, bilabiate (2 petals upper/3 lower) |
| Androecium: | 2 or 4 didynamous (=in two, paired lengths), epipetalous |
| Gynoecium: | 2 united carpels, superior ovary (=hypogynous), 4 lobed ovary with two locules, single style arising from between the ovary lobes (gynobasic), axile placentation, 4 ovules |
| Fruit: | 4 nutlets |
| Other features: | fleshy nectar disc at ovary base, some have gynodioecy (both females and hermaphrodites in the population) |
| Vegetative Features | |
|---|---|
| aromatic ("minty"), four-sided (square) stem | |
| Leaves: | opposite or whorled, simple, often serrate (toothed) margin, exstipulate, often hairy with oil secreting glands |
| Life-history: | annual to perennial |
| Habit: | herbs, rarely shrubs or trees |
| Distribution & Ecology: | cosmopolitan diversity centered in the Mediterranean |
| Some Northwest Genera: | Lycopus, bugleweed Mentha, mint Prunella, self-heal Scutellaria, skull-cap Stachys, hedge-nettle |
| Economic Importance | |
|---|---|
| Crops: | aromatic herbs for cooking Mentha, mint Ocinum, basil Origanum, oregano Pogostemon, patchouli Rosmarinus, rosemary Salvia, sage Thymus, thyme |
| Ornamentals: | many garden ornamentals Coleus, (common houseplant) |
| Weedy and pest species: | Lamium, dead-nettle Prunella, self-heal |
| Examples | Labiatae Ajuga |
|---|---|
| Labiatae Mentha |
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| Labiatae Prunella |
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| Labiatae Satureja |
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| Labiatae Scutellaria |
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| click on the genus name for a flower image | |
Links to Other Web Sites
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