Mentha micrantha

Mentha micrantha
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Mentha
Species:	M. micrantha
Binomial name
Mentha micrantha Benth.
Synonyms
Mentha pulegium var. micrantha Fisch. ex Benth. Mentha pulegium subsp. micrantha(Fisch. ex Benth.) Briq. Pulegium micranthum Claus, Beitr. [1] Pulegium deserticolaClaus [2]

Mentha micrantha, is a plant species in the genus Mentha , native to western Kazakhstan and southeastern Russia. The species was described in 1890 by botanist George Bentham. ^[3] Its epithet, micrantha, means "with small flowers." ^[4] It is unique among its genus as the only species that is an annual plant. ^{[5] [6]}

Taxonomy

The proper classification of Mentha micrantha is contentious. Several taxonomy references, such as Plants of the World Online and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, accept it as a distinct species. ^{[7] [3] [8]} A 2006 treatment of the genus Mentha however asserted it to be a variety of Mentha pulegium . ^[1]

Where treated as distinct, M. micrantha has been considered to belong to the section Pulegium within the Mentha genus. ^[5] This section associates it with plants such as M. pulegium as well as Mentha gattefossei . ^[9]

Description

Mentha micrantha is a small annual plant, growing erect, branched, square-shaped stems measuring from 12 to 30 centimeters high. Its leaves are almost entire, oblong or ovate in shape. It flowers in verticillasters 7 to 12 millimeters in length, producing bi-labiate corollas, pink, rose-lilac or purple in color. ^[2]

Distribution

Mentha micrantha is distributed throughout southeast Russia and western to central Kazakhstan. ^{[1] [10]} It occupies steppe areas and sinkholes. ^{[5] [2]} It is a hygrophyte, preferring wet soil conditions. ^[11]

Notes

1. Tucker & Naczi 2006, p. 26.
2. Borissova 1977, p. 450.
3. "Mentha micrantha (Fisch. ex Benth.) Heinr.Braun". The Plant List . Retrieved 2021-03-27.
4. Harrison 2012, p. 135.
5. Chambers & Hummer 1994, p. 430.
6. Harley & Brighton 1977, p. 77.
7. "Mentha micrantha (Fisch. ex Benth.) Heinr.Braun". Plants of the World Online . Retrieved 2021-03-26.
8. "Mentha micrantha (Fisch. ex Benth.) Heinr.Braun". Global Biodiversity Information Facility . Retrieved 2021-03-27.
9. Harley & Brighton 1977, p. 73.
10. Ishmuratova et al. 2020, p. 39.
11. Ishmuratova et al. 2020, p. 41.

References

• Borissova, A. G. (1977). "Genus 1301. Mentha L.". Flora of the U.S.S.R. Vol. 21. B.K. Shishkin (ed.), N Landau (trans.). Jerusalem: Keterpress Enterprises. pp. 427–450. ISBN   0-7065-1573-0.
• Chambers, Henrietta L.; Hummer, Kim E. (1994). "Chromosome Counts in the Mentha Collection at the USDA: ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository" . Taxon. 43 (3): 423–432. doi:10.2307/1222717. ISSN   0040-0262. JSTOR   1222717 . Retrieved 2021-02-12.
• Harley, R. M.; Brighton, C. A. (1977). "Chromosome numbers in the genus Mentha L." . Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 74 (1): 71–96. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1977.tb01168.x. ISSN   1095-8339 . Retrieved 2021-03-27.
• Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN   978-1845337315.
• Ishmuratova, M. Yu.; Butumbayeva, M. K.; Takhanova, D. A.; Zholdybayeva, K. B.; Silant'eva, M. M. (2020). "Analysis of representatives of Lamiaceae family in the flora of the Central Kazakhstan". Karaganda University Bulletin. 2 (98): 37–44.
• Tucker, Arthur O.; Naczi, Robert F. C. (2006-12-13). "Mentha: An Overview of Its Classification and Relationships". In Brian M. Lawrence (ed.). Mint: The Genus Mentha. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles (1st ed.). Boca Roton: CRC Press. pp. 1–40. ISBN   978-0-8493-0798-0.

External links

• Data related to Mentha micrantha at Wikispecies
• Mentha micrantha (Fisch. ex Benth.) Heinr.Braun - holotype images at JSTOR