Source:
SSA
Description:
Aromatic herbs, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves usually toothed. Inflorescences terminal on main and lateral branches, spike-like, verticils crowded, many-flowered; flowers small; bracts leaf-like to smaller than leaves; bracteoles linear. Calyx 10-nerved, subequally 5-toothed, scarcely accrescent. 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).
Distribution:
Species 25, mainly in temperate regions of the Old World; 2 species: Mentha aquatica L. and M. spicata L. and three varieties of M. longifolia (L.) Huds. are found in sthn Afr., widespread.
Classification:
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