Mentha
| Mentha | |
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Mentha × piperita (Peppermint)
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Subfamily: | Nepetoideae |
| Tribe: | Mentheae |
| Genus: | Mentha L. |
| Type species | |
Mentha spicata
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| Synonyms[1] | |
Mentha (also known as mint, from
The genus has a subcosmopolitan distribution across Europe, Africa – (Southern Africa), Asia, Australia – Oceania, North America and South America.[6][7] Its species can be found in many environments, but most grow best in wet environments and moist soils.
Description
Mints are aromatic, almost exclusively
The
The flowers are produced in long bracts from leaf axils.[11] They are white to purple and produced in false whorls called verticillasters. The corolla is two-lipped with four subequal lobes, the upper lobe usually the largest. The fruit is a nutlet, containing one to four seeds.
Taxonomy
Mentha is a member of the tribe Mentheae in the subfamily Nepetoideae. The tribe contains about 65 genera, and relationships within it remain obscure.[4] Authors have disagreed on the circumscription of Mentha. For example, M. cervina has been placed in Pulegium and Preslia, and M. cunninghamii has been placed in Micromeria.[12] In 2004, a molecular phylogenetic study indicated that both M. cervina and M. cunninghamii should be included in Mentha.[5] However, M. cunninghamii was excluded in a 2007 treatment of the genus.[12]
More than 3,000 names have been published in the genus Mentha, at ranks from species to forms, the majority of which are regarded as synonyms or illegitimate names. The taxonomy of the genus is made difficult because many species hybridize readily, or are themselves derived from possibly ancient hybridization events. Seeds from hybrids give rise to variable offspring, which may spread through vegetative propagation. The variability has led to what has been described as "paroxysms of species and subspecific taxa"; for example, one taxonomist published 434 new mint taxa for central Europe alone between 1911 and 1916.[12] Recent sources recognize between 18[12] and 24[1] species.[13]
Species
As of December 2020[update], Plants of the World Online recognized the following species:[1]
- Mentha alaica Boriss.
- Mentha aquatica L. – water mint, marsh mint
- Mentha arvensis L. – corn mint, wild mint, Japanese peppermint, field mint, banana mint
- Mentha atrolilacina B.J.Conn & D.J.Duval – slender mint
- Mentha australis R.Br. – Australian mint
- Mentha canadensis L. – Canada mint, American wild mint
- Mentha cervina L. – Hart's pennyroyal
- Mentha cunninghamii (Benth.) Benth. – New Zealand mint
- Mentha dahurica Fisch. ex Benth. – Dahurian thyme
- Mentha darvasica Boriss.
- Mentha diemenica Spreng. – slender mint
- Mentha gattefossei Maire
- Mentha grandiflora Benth.
- Mentha japonica (Miq.) Makino
- Mentha laxiflora Benth. – forest mint
- Mentha longifolia (L.) L. – horse mint
- Mentha micrantha (Fisch. ex Benth.) Heinr.Braun
- Mentha pamiroalaica Boriss.
- Mentha pulegium L. – pennyroyal
- Mentha requienii Benth. – Corsican mint
- Mentha royleana Wall. ex Benth.
- Mentha satureioides R.Br. – native pennyroyal
- Mentha spicataL. – spearmint, garden mint (a cultivar of spearmint)
- Mentha suaveolens Ehrh. – apple mint, pineapple mint (a variegated cultivar of apple mint)
Other species
There are a number of plants that have mint in the common English name but which do not belong to the genus Mentha:[14][15][16]
- Agastache sp. – known as horse mints
- Calaminthasp. (syn. Clinopodium) – known as calamints
- Clinopodium acinos (syn. Acinos arvensis) – known as backle mint
- Elsholtzia ciliata – known as comb mint
- Melissa officinalis– known as balm mint
- Nepeta sp. – known as cat mint or catnip
- Origanum sp. – known as rock mint
- Sideritis montana – known as sider mint
Hybrids
The mint genus has a large grouping of recognized hybrids. Those accepted by Plants of the World Online are listed below.[1] Parent species are taken from Tucker & Naczi (2007).[12] Synonyms, along with cultivars and varieties where available, are included within the specific nothospecies.
- Mentha × carinthiaca Host - M. arvensis × M. suaveolens
- Mentha × dalmatica Tausch - M. arvensis × M. longifolia
- Mentha × dumetorum Schult. - M. aquatica × M. longifolia
- Mentha × gayeri Trautm. - M. longifolia × M. spicata × M. suaveolens
- Mentha × gracilis Sole (syn. Mentha × gentilis) - M. arvensis × M. spicata – ginger mint, Scotch spearmint
- Mentha × kuemmerlei Trautm. - M. aquatica × M. spicata × M. suaveolens
- Mentha × locyana Borbás - M. longifolia × M. verticillata
- Mentha × piperita L. - M. aquatica × M. spicata – peppermint, chocolate mint
- Mentha × pyramidalis Ten. - M. aquatica × M. microphylla
- Mentha × rotundifolia (L.) Huds. - M. longifolia × M. suaveolens – false apple mint
- Mentha × suavis Guss. (syn. Mentha × amblardii,[17] Mentha × lamiifolia,[18] Mentha × langii,[19] Mentha × mauponii,[20] Mentha × maximilianea,[21] Mentha × rodriguezii,[22] Mentha × weissenburgensis[23]) - M. aquatica × M. suaveolens[24]
- Mentha × verticillata L. - M. aquatica × M. arvensis
- Mentha × villosa Huds. (syn. M. nemorosa) - M. spicata × M. suaveolens – large apple mint, foxtail mint, hairy mint, woolly mint, Cuban mint, mojito mint, and yerba buena in Cuba
- Mentha × villosa-nervata Opiz - M. longifolia × M. spicata – sharp-toothed mint
- Mentha × wirtgeniana F.W.Schultz (syn. Mentha × smithiana) - M. aquatica × M. arvensis × M. spicata – red raripila mint
Common names and cultivars
There are hundreds of common English names for species and cultivars of Mentha. These include:
- Apple mint - Mentha suaveolens and Mentha × rotundifolia
- Banana mint - Mentha arvensis 'Banana'
- Bowles mint - Mentha villosa and Mentha × villosa 'Alopecuroides'
- Canada mint - Mentha canadensis
- Chocolate mint - Mentha × piperita 'Chocolate'
- Corsican mint - Mentha requienii
- Cuba mint - Mentha x villosa
- Curly mint - Mentha spicata 'Curly'
- Eau de Cologne mint - Mentha × piperita 'Citrata'
- Field mint - Mentha arvensis
- Flea mint - Mentha requienii
- Ginger mint - Mentha × gracilis
- Gray mint - Mentha longifolia
- Green mint - Mentha spicata
- Grey mint - Mentha longifolia
- Japanese peppermint - Mentha arvensis var. piperascens
- Japanese mint or Japanese medicine mint - Mentha spicata 'Abura'
- Kiwi mint - Mentha cunninghamii
- Lemon mint - Mentha x piperita var. citrata and Mentha X gentilis
- Marsh mint - Mentha aquatica
- Meadow mint - Mentha x gracilis and Mentha arvensis
- Mojito mint - Mentha Spicata 'Mojito'
- Moroccan mint - Mentha spicata var. crispa 'Moroccan' and mints collected in Morocco
- Pennyroyal - Mentha pulegium
- Peppermint - Mentha × piperita and sometimes Mentha requienii
- Pineapple mint - Mentha suaveolens 'Variegata' and Mentha suaveolens 'Pineapple'
- Polemint - Mentha pulegium
- Red raripila mint - Mentha × wirtgeniana
- Round leaf mint - Mentha suaveolens
- Spearmint - Mentha spicata
- Strawberry mint - Mentha × piperita 'Strawberry'
- Swiss mint - Mentha × piperita 'Swiss'
- Tall mint - Mentha × wirtgeniana
- Tea mint - Mentha × verticillata
- Toothmint - Mentha × smithiana
- Water mint - Mentha aquatica
- Woolly mint - Mentha × rotundifolia
Cultivation
All mints thrive near pools of water, lakes, rivers, and cool moist spots in partial shade.[25] In general, mints tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun. Mint grows all year round.[26]
They are fast-growing, extending their reach along surfaces through a network of
Some mints can be propagated by seed, but growth from seed can be an unreliable method for raising mint for two reasons: mint seeds are highly variable — one might not end up with what one supposed was planted[25] — and some mint varieties are sterile. It is more effective to take and plant cuttings from the runners of healthy mints.
The most common and popular mints for commercial cultivation are
Mints are supposed to make good
Harvesting of mint leaves can be done at any time. Fresh leaves should be used immediately or stored up to a few days in plastic bags in a refrigerator. Optionally, leaves can be frozen in ice cube trays. Dried mint leaves should be stored in an airtight container placed in a cool, dark, dry area.[28]
Uses
 | This section may lack focus or may be about more than one topic. In particular, it treats the genus Mentha ("mint") as if it were a single kind of plant, whereas many of the uses apply only to one species or cultivated variety of the genus. (July 2019) |
Culinary
The leaf, fresh or dried, is the culinary source of mint. Fresh mint is usually preferred over dried mint when storage of the mint is not a problem. The leaves have a warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste, and are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams. In
Mint is a necessary ingredient in
Mint
Mints are used as food plants by the larvae of some
Traditional medicine and cosmetics
The
Menthol from mint essential oil (40–90%) is an ingredient of many cosmetics and some perfumes. Menthol and mint essential oil are also used in aromatherapy which may have clinical use to alleviate post-surgery nausea.[33][35]
Allergic reaction
Although it is used in many
Insecticides
Mint oil is also used as an environmentally friendly insecticide for its ability to kill some common pests such as wasps, hornets, ants, and cockroaches.[37]
Room scent and aromatherapy
Known in Greek mythology as the herb of hospitality,[38] one of mint's first known uses in Europe was as a room deodorizer.[39] The herb was strewn across floors to cover the smell of the hard-packed soil. Stepping on the mint helped to spread its scent through the room. Today, it is more commonly used for aromatherapy through the use of essential oils.
Diseases
Etymology of "mint"
The word "mint" descends from the
References to "mint leaves", without a qualifier like "peppermint" or "apple mint", generally refer to spearmint leaves.
In
The taxonomic family Lamiaceae is known as the mint family. It includes many other aromatic herbs, including most of the more common cooking herbs, such as
.As an English colloquial term, any small mint-flavored confectionery item can be called a mint.[42]
In common usage, other plants with fragrant leaves may be called "mint", although they are not in the mint family:
- Vietnamese mint, commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine is Persicaria odorata in the family Polygonaceae, collectively known as smartweeds or pinkweeds.
- Mexican mint marigold is Tagetes lucida in the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
Fossil record
†Mentha pliocenica
References
- ^ a b c d e "Mentha L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ Perseus Project
- ^ Palaeolexicon Archived 2011-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, Word study tool of ancient languages
- ^ ISBN 978-3-540-40593-1.
- ^ S2CID 86816849.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7894-1943-9.
- ^ "Mint | Description, Genus, Species, Uses, & Facts | Britannica". 21 July 2023.
- S2CID 97042181. Archived from the originalon 17 Jun 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2005.
- ISBN 978-0-7232-2419-8.
- ISBN 978-0-7894-8993-7.
- ISBN 978-0-8093-3208-3.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8493-0779-9.
- ^ "Mentha — the Plant List".
- ^ "Myntsorter".
- ^ "Mynte | lex.dk". 10 November 2022.
- ^ "Mint | Description, Genus, Species, Uses, & Facts | Encyclopædia Britannica". 21 July 2023.
- ^ "Mentha × amblardii Debeaux | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science".
- ^ "Mentha × lamiifolia Ten. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science".
- ^ "Mentha × langii Steud. Ex Hagenb. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science".
- ^ "Mentha × mauponii Gadeceau | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science".
- ^ "Mentha × maximilianea F.W.Schultz | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science".
- ^ "Mentha × rodriguezii Malinv. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science".
- ^ "Mentha × weissenburgensis F.W.Schultz | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science".
- ^ "Mentha × suavis Guss. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science".
- ^ ISBN 978-0-87857-999-0.
- ^ "Minted". 12 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-31. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
- ^ Wees, David (4 March 2015) [first published online 8 April 2013]. "Mint, Economic Importance". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
- ISBN 978-1-56458-065-8.
- ^ "Blue Mint Beetle Chrysolina coerulans". candide gardening.com. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ Rosenberg, Marc (20 August 2012). "Watch out for blue mint beetle". amateurgardening.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
- ^ "Mint leaf beetle". gardenersworld.com. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
- ISBN 0415927463.
- ^ a b c d "Peppermint oil". National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, US National Institutes of Health. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
- PMID 24685583.
- S2CID 207134623.
- PMID 24472564.
- ^ Bounds, Gwendolyn (30 July 2009). "Death by Mint Oil: Natural Pesticides". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Mint". South Texas Unit of The Herb Society of America. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-07-14.
- ^ Huntington, Sharon J. (18 May 2004). "A not-so-boring history of flooring". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 2013-05-12. Retrieved 2013-07-14.
- ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879). "menta (mentha)". A Latin Dictionary. Perseus Digital Library.
- ^ Mohammadifar, Shamameh (2022) [1 January 2000]. "Mint". Encyclopaedia Iranica (online ed.). Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-19-211579-9.
- ^ Velichkevich, Felix Yu.; Zastawniak, Ewa (2003). "The Pliocene flora of Kholmech, south-eastern Belarus and its correlation with other Pliocene floras of Europe". Acta Palaeobotanica. 43 (2): 137–259. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
External links
