MENTHA AQUATICA

Family and Genus:- See- LABIATAE/Sect. MENTHA

Common Names:- Watermint

Homotypic Synonyms:- Marrubium aquaticum, Mentha aquatica var.

nemorosa, Mentha hirsuta var. aquatica.

Meaning:- Mentha (Gr) A name used by Pliny for mint.

Aquatica (L) Living in water.

General description:- Rhizomatous, strongly aromatic perennial, often with

stolons.

Stems:-

1) Erect, 30-80 cm tall, sparingly branched.

Leaves:-

1) Blade, usually 2.5-5 cm, ovate, truncate at the base, shallowly serrate.

2) Floral leaves, much smaller than the cauline.

Flower:-

1) Inflorescence, of 2-3 congested verticillasters with inconspicuous bracts, forming

a terminal head up to 2 cm diam, sometimes with 1-3 distant verticillasters

below, in the axils of leaf-like bracts.

2) Calyx, 3-4 mm, tube narrowly campanulate, 10-ribbed.

a) teeth, subulate or narrowly triangular.

3) Pedicels, hairy.

4) Corolla, c. 8 mm, pinkish-mauve.

5) Stamens, long-exserted.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlets, pale brown.

Key features:-

1) Flowers, in a head, sometimes with one to three verticillasters below.

2) Leaves, usually ovate.

3) Leaves, and calyx-tube hairy.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Reedswamps by lake margins, in mud along streams, ditches and

irrigation canals 0-800m.

Distribution:- Scattered throughout Greece. A widespread Euro-Siberian species,

naturalised elsewhere. Limited distribution on Crete.

Flowering time:- May-Sept.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis