Lamiaceae

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names
Lamiaceae >

Read about Lamiaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are also known as the mint family. Labiatae (the name refers to the 2-lipped [bilabiate] character of the corolla of most species). Mint Family. Herbs or shrubs, commonly with a four-angled stem, and usually containing a fragrant oil: leaves opposite or whorled: flowers bisexual, very rarely unisexual, irregular, rarely regular, usually bilabiate; calyx 5-toothed or cleft, regular or 2-lipped; corolla 5-lobed, rarely 4-lobed, gamopetalous and hypogynous, 1 lip sometimes obsolete, the lobes imbricated; stamens 4, didynamous, or only 2, epipetalous; hypogynous disk well developed, thick, entire or lobed; ovary superior, of 2 carpels, deeply 4-lobed, 4-celled, each cell 1-ovuled; style basal or sub-basal; stigmas 2: fruit of 4 1-eeeded nutlets; the ectocarp rarely fleshy. One hundred and fifty-seven genera and about 2,800 species are distributed over the whole earth, but are especially abundant in the Mediterranean region and the orient; they are also abundant in the mountains of the subtropics. The larger genera are Salvia, 500 species; Hyptis, 300 species; Stachys, 180-200 species; Scutellaria, 180 species; Nepeta, 150 species; Satureia, 130 species; and Teucrium, 100 species. The family is related to the Verbenaceae and to the Boraginaceae, also to the Scrophulariaceae and Acanthaceae. The 4-angled stem, fragrant oil, 4-lobed ovary, the solitary ovules, and the basal style are distinctive. This is a difficult family for the student. The characters for separating the genera reside mostly in the calyx, corolla and stamens. The nutlets are less important in classification than in the Boraginaceae. Owing to the volatile oil and bitter principles, the Labiatae are of more than usual economic importance: Scutellaria lateriflora (skullcap), tonic, nervine; Salvia officinalis (garden sage), tonic, also used as a condiment; Marrubium vulgare (hoarhound), tonic, anthelmintic, and expectorant; Hedeoma pulegioides (American pennyroyal), carminative and stimulant; Mentha spicata (spearmint) and Mentha piperita (peppermint), carminative; Mentha Pulegium (European pennyroyal), carminative; mints are also used as condiments. The following oils are from Labiatae: Oil of thyme (Thymus Serpyllum); rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis); Lavender (Lavandula officinalis); spike (Lavandula Spica); origanum (Origanum Majorana). Catnip (Nepeta Cataria) is a family sudorific. Mother-wort (Leo-nurus Cardiaca) is a family stimulant and bitters. The leaves of lavender and patchouli (Pogostemon Patchouli) are used to keep insects from woolens, furs, and the like. Many other species have been used locally for various purposes. Fifty or more genera are in cultivation in North America. Most of these are garden annuals or hardy perennials cultivated for the flavor or odor, for ornamental purposes, or for medicine. Among these are: Acanthomintha (Thorny Mint); Ajuga (Bugle Weed); Cedronella (Balm of Gilead); Coleus; Collinsonia (Horse-balm, Horse-weed, Stonewort); Cunila (Maryland Dittany); Hedeoma (American Pennyroyal); Hyssopus (Hyssop), hardy shrub; Lamium (Dead Nettle); Lavandula (Lavender) ; Leonotis (Lion's Ear, Lion's Tail); Lophanthus (Giant Hyssop); Marrubium (Hore-hound); Melissa (Balm); Mentha (Mint, Spearmint, Peppermint, Japanese Mint, Bergamot Mint, Black Mint, White Mint, European Pennyroyal); Micromeria (Yerba Buena); Moluccella (Shell Flower, Molucca Balm); Monarda (Horsemint, Oswego Tea, Bee-balm, Fragrant Bahn, Wild Bergamot); Nepeta (Catnip, Ground Ivy, Gill-run-over-the-ground); Ocimum (Basil); Origanum (Marjoram); Phlomis (Jerusalem Sage); Physostegia (False Dragonhead, Obedient Plant); Plectranthus (Cockle-spur Flower); Pogostemon (Patchouli Plant); Prunella or Brunella (Self-heal, Heal-all); Pycnanthemum (Mountain Mint); Rosmarinus (Rosemary, Old Man); Salvia (Sage, Clary, Scarlet Sage); Satureia (Savory); Scutellaria (Skull-cap); Stachys (Woundwort, Choro-gi, Chinese or Japanese Artichoke, Knot-root, Betony); Teucrium (Germander); Thymus (Thyme, Mother-of-Thyme); Trichostema (Blue Curls, Bastard Pennyroyal, Ramero); Westringia (Victorian Rosemary).^CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.