Clinopodium gracile

Clinopodium gracile
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Clinopodium
Species:	C. gracile
Binomial name
Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Kuntze

Verticillaster inflorescence exhibiting flower arrangement of Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Kuntze at Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Clinopodium gracile, commonly known as calamint, savory, slender wild basil, and tower flower, is a plant species native to Asia. ^[1]

Taxonomy and naming

Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Kuntze Revis. Gen. Pl. 2:514.1891. Clinopodium confine (Hance) Kuntze Gen. Pl. 2:515.1891; Hara In: Jour. Jap. Bot. 101:14.1935.Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Matsum Index. Pl. Jap. 2:538.1912 (isonym). —Calamintha gracilis Benth. In: DC. Prodr. 12:232.1848. —Calamintha moluccana Miq. Fl. Ned. Ind. 2:968.1859. —Calamintha confinis Hance In: Journ. Bot. 6:331.1868. —Calamintha radicans Vaniot Bull. Acad. Geogr. Bot. 14:182.1904. —Calamintha argyi H.Lév. In:Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 8:423.1910. —Satureja gracilis (Benth.) Nakai In: J. Coll. Sci. Univ. Tokyo. 31:149.1911; Bailey In: Gent. Herb. 1:43.1920. —Satureja confinis (Hance) Kudô Mem. Fac. Sci. Taihoku Imp. Univ. 2:100.1929.

Homotypic synonyms

• Calamintha gracilis Benth. in A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 12: 232 (1848)
• Satureja gracilis (Benth.) Nakai in J. Coll. Sci. Imp. Univ. Tokyo 31: 149 (1911)

Heterotypic synonyms

• Calamintha argyi H.Lév. in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 8: 423 (1910)
• Calamintha confinis Hance in J. Bot. 6: 331 (1868)
• Calamintha moluccana Miq. in Fl. Ned. Ind. 2: 968 (1859)
• Calamintha radicans Vaniot in Bull. Acad. Int. Géogr. Bot., sér. 3, 14: 182 (1904)
• Clinopodium confine (Hance) Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 515 (1891)
• Clinopodium confine var. globosum C.Y.Wu & S.J.Hsuan ex H.W.Li in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 12: 223 (1974)
• Satureja confinis (Hance) Kudô in Mem. Fac. Sci. Taihoku Imp. Univ. 2: 100 (1929)

Description

Small perennial herb, slender, stoloniferous; Stem quadrangular, numerous, tufted, erect or procumbent at the base, ascending, 8–30 cm, retrorse, pubescent; Leaves opposite, basal leaves circular-ovate, 1.2–1.5 × 1–1.1 cm, base rounded, apex obtuse, margin remotely crenate, lower and mid stem leaves ovate, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm, papery, sub-glabrous, abaxially sparsely hispid on veins, apex obtuse, base rounded to cuneate, margin remotely dentate or crenate-serrate, petioles 0.3–1 cm; Inflorescence verticillaster,few flowered (5–10), lax or dense, crowded in short terminal raceme, floral leaves ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–1 × ^[1]

Flower of Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Kuntze at Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Distribution and habitat

Clinopodium gracile can be allocated from China, Indonesia, Japan, Jawa, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur,Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, & Tripura). It commonly flourishes near river banks, wild/semi-wild areas, and alongside forest margin sites. ^[1]

Young shoot displaying floral bud of Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Kuntze

Illustration of Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Kuntze

Stoloniferous root showing root hair of Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Kuntze

References

1. Chandra, Rimjhim A.; Kalita, Mamita (2024-07-26). "New distribution record of Slender Wild Basil Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Kuntze (Lamiaceae: Nepetoideae: Mentheae) for the flora of Himachal Pradesh, India" . Retrieved 2025-04-11.