|
|
|
Botanical Classifications
Lamiaceae (Lindley.)
Lamiaceae, or the Mint family, is a family of plants in about 210 genera and some 3,500 species. It has been considered closely related to Verbenaceae but several recent phylogenetic studies have shown that numererous genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae, whereas the core genera of Verbenaceae are not closely related to Lamiaceae and are more closely related to other members of the Lamiales.
The plants are frequently aromatic in all parts and include many widely used culinary herbs, such as basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, thyme, lavender, and perilla. Some are shrubs, but rarely trees or vines. Many members of the family are widely cultivated, owing not only to their aromatic qualities but also their ease of cultivation: these plants are among the easiest plants to propagate by stem cuttings.
The original family name is Labiatae, so given because the flowers typically have petals fused into an upper lip and a lower lip. Although this is still considered an acceptable alternate name, most botanists now use the name "Lamiaceae" in referring to this family.
The leaves contain aromatic essential oils and emerge oppositely, each pair at right angles to the previous one (called decussate) or whorled.
The stems are square in cross section.
The flowers are bilaterally symmetrical with 5 united petals, 5 united sepals. They are usually bisexual and verticillastrate (a flower cluster that looks like a whorl of flowers but actually consists of two crowded clusters).
|
|
Major essential oil producing plants in the Lamiaceae family. |
| Calamintha officinalis. |
Calamintha, Nepata cataria, Calamintha clinapodium, Melissa calaminta, calamint, common calamint, mill mountain, mountain balm, mountain mint, basil thyme, nepata, french marjoram, wild basil, catnip. |
| Hyssopus officinalis. |
Hyssop, Azob |
| Lavandula angustifolia |
Lavender, Lavandula vera, Lavandula officinalis, Garden lavender, common lavender, English lavender |
| Lavandula angustifolia |
Lavender Absolute, Lavandula vera, Lavandula officinalis, Garden lavender, common lavender, English lavender |
| Lavandula hybrida supra |
Lavandin, Lavander hybrida, Lavander x intermedia, Lavender hortensis, bastard lavender. |
| Lavandula latifolia |
Lavender Spike, Lavender spica, aspic, broad-leaved lavender, lesser lavender |
| Melissa officinalis |
Lemon Balm, Melissa, common balm, bee balm, sweet balm, heart's delight, honey plant. |
| Mentha arvensis. |
Cornmint, Field mint, Japanese mint. |
| Mentha piperita. |
Peppermint, Brandy mint, balm mint. |
| Mentha pulegium. |
Pennyroyal, Pulegium, European pennyroyal, pudding grass. |
| Mentha spicata. |
Spearmint, Mentha viridis, common spearmint, garden spearmint, spire mint, green mint, lamb mint, pea mint, fish mint. |
| Nepeta cataria. |
Catnip, Calamintha officinalis, Calamintha clinapodium, Melissa calaminta, calamint, common calamint, mill mountain, mountain balm, mountain mint, basil thyme, nepata, french marjoram, wild basil. |
| Ocimum basilicum. |
Basil sweet, Exotic Basil, Common basil, joy-of-the-mountains, basilic, sweet basil, true sweet basil, European basil. |
| Origanum majorana. |
Marjoram, Majorana hortensis, sweet marjoram, knotted marjoram. |
| Pogostomon cablin. |
Patchouli, Pogostomon patchouly, patchouly, puchaput. |
| Prostanthera melissifolia. |
Australian Balm Mint, Balm Mint Bush |
| Rosmarinus officinalis. |
Rosemary, Rosmarinus coronarium, compass plant, incensier. |
| Rosmarinus officinalis ct verbenoniferum |
Rosemary verbenone, |
| Salvia lavandulifolia. |
Spanish sage, Lavender leaved sage. |
| Salvia officinalis. |
Sage, Common sage, garden sage, true sage, dalmatian sage. |
| Salvia sciarea. |
Clary sage, Clary, clary wort, muscatel sage, clear eye, see bright, common clary, clarry, eye bright |
| Salvia stenophylla |
Cape Sage, |
| Satureja hortensis. |
Summer Savory, Satureia hortensis, Calamintha hortensis, garden savory |
| Satureja montana. |
Winter Savory, Satureia hortensis, Calamintha hortensis, garden savory |
| Thymus capitatus. |
Spanish Oregano, Thymus capitus, Coridothymus capitus, Satureja capitata, Thymbra capitata, Oreganum, Israeli oreganum, Cretan thyme, corido thyme, conehead thyme, headed savory, thyme of the ancients. |
| Thymus vulgaris. |
Thyme, Thymus aestivus, Thymus ilerdensis, Thymuss webbianus, Thymus valentianus, French thyme, garden thyme, thyme red, thyme white. |
|
|
