Mentha,also known asmint(fromGreekμίνθαmíntha,[2]Linear Bmi-ta[3]), is agenusofflowering plantsin thefamilyLamiaceae(mint family).[4]It is estimated that 13 to 24speciesexist, but the exact distinction between species is unclear.[5][1]Hybridizationoccursnaturallywhere somespecies' rangesoverlap. Manyhybridsandcultivarsare known.
| Mentha | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Mentha spicata(Spearmint) Mentha × piperita(Peppermint) | |
Scientific classification
| |
| 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 | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
The genus has asubcosmopolitandistribution 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
edit
Mints are aromatic, almost exclusivelyperennialherbs.They have wide-spreading underground and overgroundstolons[8]and erect, square,[9]branched stems. Mints will grow 10–120 cm (4–48 inches) tall and can spread over an indeterminate area. Due to their tendency to spread unchecked, some mints are consideredinvasive.[10]
Theleavesare arranged inoppositepairs, fromoblongto lanceolate, often downy, and with aserratedmargin. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue, and sometimes pale yellow.[6]
Theflowersare 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 foursubequallobes, the upper lobe usually the largest. Thefruitis a nutlet, containing one to fourseeds.
Taxonomy
editMenthais a member of thetribeMentheae in thesubfamilyNepetoideae.The tribe contains about 65 genera, and relationships within it remain obscure.[4]Authors have disagreed on thecircumscriptionofMentha.For example,M. cervinahas been placed inPulegiumandPreslia,andM. cunninghamiihas been placed inMicromeria.[12]In 2004, amolecular phylogeneticstudy indicated that bothM. cervinaandM. cunninghamiishould be included inMentha.[5]However,M. cunninghamiiwas excluded in a 2007 treatment of the genus.[12]
More than 3,000 names have been published in the genusMentha,at ranks from species to forms, the majority of which are regarded assynonymsorillegitimate 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
editAs of December 2020[update],Plants of the World Onlinerecognized the following species:[1]
- Mentha alaicaBoriss.
- Mentha aquaticaL.– water mint, marsh mint
- Mentha arvensisL.– corn mint, wild mint, Japanese peppermint, field mint, banana mint
- Mentha atrolilacinaB.J.Conn& D.J.Duval– slender mint
- Mentha australisR.Br.– Australian mint
- Mentha canadensisL.– Canada mint, American wild mint
- Mentha cervinaL.– Hart's pennyroyal
- Mentha cunninghamii(Benth.) Benth.– New Zealand mint
- Mentha dahuricaFisch. ex Benth.– Dahurian thyme
- Mentha darvasicaBoriss.
- Mentha diemenicaSpreng.– slender mint
- Mentha gattefosseiMaire
- Mentha grandifloraBenth.
- Mentha japonica(Miq.) Makino
- Mentha laxifloraBenth.– forest mint
- Mentha longifolia(L.) L.– horse mint
- Mentha micrantha(Fisch. ex Benth.) Heinr.Braun
- Mentha pamiroalaicaBoriss.
- Mentha pulegiumL.– pennyroyal
- Mentha requieniiBenth.– Corsican mint
- Mentha royleanaWall. ex Benth.
- Mentha satureioidesR.Br.– native pennyroyal
- Mentha spicataL.– spearmint, garden mint (a cultivar of spearmint)
- Mentha suaveolensEhrh.– apple mint, pineapple mint (a variegated cultivar of apple mint)
Other species
editThere are a number of plants that have mint in the common English name but which do not belong to the genusMentha:[14][15][16]
- Agastachesp. – 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, crested late summer mint
- Melissa officinalis– known as balm mint
- Nepetasp. – known as cat mint or catnip
- Origanumsp. – known as rock mint
- Persicaria odorata– known as Vietnamese mint
- Sideritis montana– known as sider mint
Hybrids
edit
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×carinthiacaHost-M. arvensis×M. suaveolens
- Mentha×dalmaticaTausch-M. arvensis×M. longifolia
- Mentha×dumetorumSchult.-M. aquatica×M. longifolia
- Mentha×gayeriTrautm.-M. longifolia×M. spicata×M. suaveolens
- Mentha×gracilisSole(syn.Mentha×gentilis) -M. arvensis×M. spicata– ginger mint, Scotch spearmint
- Mentha×kuemmerleiTrautm.-M. aquatica×M. spicata×M. suaveolens
- Mentha×locyanaBorbás-M. longifolia×M. verticillata
- Mentha×piperitaL.-M. aquatica×M. spicata– peppermint, chocolate mint
- Mentha×pyramidalisTen.-M. aquatica×M. microphylla
- Mentha×rotundifolia(L.) Huds.-M. longifolia×M. suaveolens– false apple mint
- Mentha×suavisGuss.(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×verticillataL.-M. aquatica×M. arvensis
- Mentha×villosaHuds.(syn.M. nemorosa) -M. spicata×M. suaveolens– large apple mint, foxtail mint, hairy mint, woolly mint, Cuban mint, mojito mint, andyerba buenain Cuba
- Mentha×villosa-nervataOpiz-M. longifolia×M. spicata– sharp-toothed mint
- Mentha×wirtgenianaF.W.Schultz(syn.Mentha×smithiana) -M. aquatica×M. arvensis×M. spicata– red raripila mint
Common names and cultivars
editThere are hundreds of common English names for species and cultivars ofMentha.These include:
- Apple mint -Mentha suaveolensandMentha × rotundifolia
- Banana mint -Mentha arvensis'Banana'
- Bowles mint -Mentha villosaandMentha × villosa'Alopecuroides'
- Canada mint -Mentha canadensis
- Chocolate mint -Mentha × piperita'Chocolate'
- Corsican mint -Mentha requienii
- Cuba mint -Mentha × 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 arvensisvar.piperascens
- Japanese mint or Japanese medicine mint -Mentha spicata'Abura'
- Kiwi mint -Mentha cunninghamii
- Lemon mint -Mentha × piperitavar.citrataandMentha × gentilis
- Marsh mint -Mentha aquatica
- Meadow mint -Mentha × gracilisandMentha arvensis
- Mojito mint -Mentha spicata'Mojito'
- Moroccan mint -Mentha spicata var. crispa'Moroccan' and mints collected in Morocco
- Pennyroyal -Mentha pulegium
- Peppermint -Mentha × piperitaand sometimesMentha requienii
- Pineapple mint -Mentha suaveolens'Variegata' andMentha 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
edit
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 ofrunners.Due to their speedy growth, one plant of each desired mint, along with a little care, will provide more than enough mint for home use. Some mint species are moreinvasivethan others. Even with the less invasive mints, care should be taken when mixing any mint with any other plants, lest the mint take over. To control mints in an open environment, they should be planted in deep, bottomless containers sunk in the ground, or planted above ground in tubs and barrels.[25]
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 arepeppermint(Mentha × piperita),native spearmint(Mentha spicata),Scotch spearmint(Mentha x gracilis), andcornmint(Mentha arvensis);[27]also (more recently)apple mint(Mentha suaveolens).
Mints are supposed to make goodcompanion plants,repelling insect pests and attracting beneficial ones. They are susceptible towhiteflyandaphids.
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
editThis sectionmay lack focus or may be about more than one topic.In particular, it treats the genusMentha( "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
edit
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. InMiddle Eastern cuisine,mint is used inlambdishes, while inBritish cuisineandAmerican cuisine,mint sauceand mint jelly are used, respectively. Mint (pudina) is a staple inIndian cuisine,used for flavouring curries and other dishes.
Mint is a necessary ingredient inTouareg tea,a popular tea in northern African and Arab countries. Alcoholic drinks sometimes feature mint for flavor or garnish, such as themint julepand themojito.Crème de mentheis a mint-flavoredliqueurused in drinks such as thegrasshopper.
Mintessential oilandmentholare extensively used as flavorings in breath fresheners, drinks,antiseptic mouth rinses,toothpaste,chewing gum,desserts,andcandies,such asmint (candy)andmint chocolate.The substances that give the mints their characteristic aromas and flavors are menthol (the main aroma of peppermint and Japanese peppermint) andpulegone(in pennyroyal and Corsican mint). The compound primarily responsible for the aroma and flavor of spearmint isL-carvone.
Mints are used as food plants by the larvae of someLepidopteraspecies, includingbuff erminemoths. It is also eaten by beetles such asChrysolina coerulans(blue mint beetle)[29][30]andMint leaf beetle.[31]
Traditional medicine and cosmetics
editTheancient Greeksrubbed mint on their arms, believing it would make them stronger.[32]Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treatstomach acheandchest pains.[33]There are several uses intraditional medicine[34]and preliminary research for possible use of peppermint in treatingirritable bowel syndrome.[33]
Menthol from mint essential oil (40–90%) is an ingredient of manycosmeticsand someperfumes.Menthol and mint essential oil are also used inaromatherapywhich may have clinical use to alleviate post-surgerynausea.[33][35]
Allergic reaction
editAlthough it is used in manyconsumer products,mint may causeallergic reactionsin some people, inducing symptoms such asabdominal cramps,diarrhea,headaches,heartburn,tingling or numbing around the mouth,anaphylaxis,orcontact dermatitis.[33][36]
Insecticides
editMint oil is also used as anenvironmentally friendlyinsecticidefor its ability to kill some common pests such as wasps, hornets, ants, and cockroaches.[37]
Room scent and aromatherapy
editKnown 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
editEtymology of "mint"
edit
The word "mint" descends from theLatinwordmenthaormenta,[40]which is rooted in theGreekwordsμίνθαmintha,μίνθηminthēorμίντηmintēmeaning "spearmint".[2]The plant was personified inGreek mythologyasMinthe,a nymph who was beloved byHadesand was transformed into a mint plant by eitherPersephoneorDemeter.This, in turn, ultimately derived from aproto-Indo-Europeanroot that is also the origin of theSanskrit-mantha, mathana(premna serratifolia).
References to "mint leaves", without a qualifier like "peppermint" or "apple mint", generally refer to spearmint leaves.
InSpainandCentralandSouth America,mint is known asmenta.InLusophonecountries, especially inPortugal,mint species are popularly known ashortelã.In manyIndo-Aryan languages,it is calledpudīna:Hindi:पुदीना,Sindhi:ڦُودنو,Bengali:পুদিনাborrowed fromPersianپودنهpudnaorپونهpunameaning "pennyroyal".[41]
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 asbasil,rosemary,sage,oregano,andcatnip.
As an English colloquial term, any small mint-flavoredconfectioneryitem 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 inSoutheast Asiancuisine isPersicaria odoratain the familyPolygonaceae,collectively known as smartweeds or pinkweeds.
- Mexican mint marigold isTagetes lucidain the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
Fossil record
edit†Mentha pliocenicafossilseeds have been excavated inPliocenedeposits of Dvorets on the right bank of theDnieper riverbetween the cities ofRechitsaandLoyew,in south-easternBelarus.The fossil seeds are similar to the seeds ofMentha aquaticaandMentha arvensis.[43]
References
edit- ^abcde"MenthaL. "Plants of the World Online.Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.Archivedfrom the original on 6 March 2018.Retrieved15 July2019.
- ^abμίνθα.Liddell, Henry George;Scott, Robert;A Greek–English Lexiconat thePerseus Project
- ^PalaeolexiconArchived2011-02-03 at theWayback Machine,Word study tool of ancient languages
- ^abHarley, Raymond M.; Atkins, Sandy; Budantsev, Andrey L.; Cantino, Philip D.; Conn, Barry J.; Grayer, Renée J.; Harley, Madeline M.; de Kok, Rogier P.J.; Krestovskaja, Tatyana V. (2004). "Labiatae". In Kubitzki, Klaus; Kadereit, Joachim W. (eds.).The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants.Vol. VII. Berlin; Heidelberg, Germany: Springer-Verlag. pp. 167–275.ISBN978-3-540-40593-1.
- ^abBunsawat, Jiranan; Elliott, Natalina E.; Hertweck, Kate L.; Sproles, Elizabeth; Alice, Lawrence A. (2004). "Phylogenetics ofMentha(Lamiaceae): Evidence from Chloroplast DNA Sequences ".Systematic Botany.29(4): 959–964.doi:10.1600/0363644042450973.JSTOR25064024.S2CID86816849.
- ^abBrickell, Christopher;Zuk, Judith D.(1997).The American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants.New York, NY: DK Publishing. p. 668.ISBN978-0-7894-1943-9.
- ^ "Mint | Description, Genus, Species, Uses, & Facts | Britannica".21 July 2023.
- ^Aflatuni, Abbas; Uusitalo, J.; Ek, S.; Hohtola, A. (January–February 2005)."Variation in the Amount of Yield and in the Extract Composition Between Conventionally Produced and Micropropagated Peppermint and Spearmint".Journal of Essential Oil Research.17(1): 66–70.doi:10.1080/10412905.2005.9698833.S2CID97042181.Archived fromthe originalon 17 Jun 2007.Retrieved10 May2005.
- ^Rose, Francis(1981).The Wild Flower Key.Frederick Warne & Co. p. 310.ISBN978-0-7232-2419-8.
- ^Brickell, Christopher;Cole, Trevor (2002).The American Horticultural Society: Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers.New York, NY: DK Publishing. p. 605.ISBN978-0-7894-8993-7.
- ^Mohlenbrock, Robert H. (2014).Vascular Flora of Illinois: A Field Guide(4th ed.). Southern Illinois University Press. p. 256.ISBN978-0-8093-3208-3.
- ^abcdeTucker, Arthur O.; Naczi, Robert F. C. (2007). "Mentha:An Overview of its Classification and Relationships ". In Lawrence, Brian M. (ed.).Mint: The GenusMentha.Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group. pp. 1–39.ISBN978-0-8493-0779-9.
- ^"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".
- ^abcBradley, Fern(1992).Rodale's All-new Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening.Emmaus, Pennsylvania: Rodale Press. p. 390.ISBN978-0-87857-999-0.
- ^"Minted".12 August 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 2014-08-31.Retrieved2014-08-18.
- ^Wees, David (4 March 2015) [first published online 8 April 2013]."Mint, Economic Importance".The Canadian Encyclopedia.Archivedfrom the original on 4 March 2016.Retrieved2015-12-31.
- ^Ortiz, Elisabeth(1992).The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices & Flavorings.London: Dorling Kindersley. pp.36–7.ISBN978-1-56458-065-8.
- ^"Blue Mint Beetle Chrysolina coerulans".candide gardening.com.Archivedfrom the original on 3 August 2020.Retrieved9 May2020.
- ^Rosenberg, Marc (20 August 2012)."Watch out for blue mint beetle".amateurgardening.com.Archivedfrom the original on 4 August 2020.Retrieved7 May2020.
- ^"Mint leaf beetle".gardenersworld.com.Archivedfrom the original on 22 April 2017.Retrieved20 April2017.
- ^Sanderson, Helen; Renfrew, Jane M. (2005). Prance, Ghillean; Nesbitt, Mark (eds.).The Cultural History of Plants.Routledge. p. 106.ISBN0415927463.
- ^abcd"Peppermint oil".National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, US National Institutes of Health. 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 2014-10-08.Retrieved2014-10-11.
- ^Jamila, F.; Mostafa, E. (2014). "Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by people in Oriental Morocco to manage various ailments".Journal of Ethnopharmacology.154(1): 76–87.doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.03.016.PMID24685583.
- ^Hunt, R.; Dienemann, J.; Norton, H.J.; Hartley, W.; Hudgens, A.; Stern, T.; Divine, G. (2013)."Aromatherapy as Treatment for Postoperative Nausea".Anesthesia & Analgesia.117(3): 597–604.doi:10.1213/ANE.0b013e31824a0b1c.PMID22392970.S2CID207134623.
- ^Bayat, R.; Borici-Mazi, R. (2014)."A case of anaphylaxis to peppermint".Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology.10(1): 6.doi:10.1186/1710-1492-10-6.PMC3912937.PMID24472564.
- ^Bounds, Gwendolyn (30 July 2009)."Death by Mint Oil: Natural Pesticides".The Wall Street Journal.Archived fromthe originalon 2 August 2009.Retrieved6 December2010.
- ^"Mint".South Texas Unit of The Herb Society of America. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-06-29.Retrieved2013-07-14.
- ^Huntington, Sharon J. (18 May 2004)."A not-so-boring history of flooring".The Christian Science Monitor.Archivedfrom the original on 2013-05-12.Retrieved2013-07-14.
- ^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.Retrieved1 December2022.
- ^Davidson, Alan(1999).The Oxford Companion to Food.Oxford: Oxford University Press. p.508.ISBN978-0-19-211579-9.
- ^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.Retrieved16 July2019.
External links
edit
