Mentha micrantha
Species of mint
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mentha micrantha, is a plant species in the genus Mentha, native to western Kazakhstan and southeastern Russia. The species was described in 1890 by botanist George Bentham.[3] Its epithet, micrantha, means "with small flowers."[4] It is unique among its genus as the only species that is an annual plant.[5][6]
| Mentha micrantha | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Spermatophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Mentha |
| Species: | M. micrantha |
| Binomial name | |
| Mentha micrantha | |
| Synonyms | |
Taxonomy
The proper classification of Mentha micrantha is contentious. Several taxonomy references, such as Plants of the World Online and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, accept it as a distinct species.[7][3][8] A 2006 treatment of the genus Mentha however asserted it to be a variety of Mentha pulegium.[1]
Where treated as distinct, M. micrantha has been considered to belong to the section Pulegium within the Mentha genus.[5] This section associates it with plants such as M. pulegium as well as Mentha gattefossei.[9]
Description
Mentha micrantha is a small annual plant, growing erect, branched, square-shaped stems measuring from 12 to 30 centimeters high. Its leaves are almost entire, oblong or ovate in shape. It flowers in verticillasters 7 to 12 millimeters in length, producing bi-labiate corollas, pink, rose-lilac or purple in color.[2]
