Plant: herbs, shrubs and rarely trees; often aromatic from oils Stem: most with square stems (but not definitive for mints) Root: Leaves: simple, sometimes pinnate; mostly opposite Flowers: perfect, very rarely unisexual; regular (actinomorphic) but often irregular (zygomorphic); usually small, often in spikes (or clusters) and whorls in axils of leaves; 5 united sepals, 5-part corolla usually as a tube with 2 lips, upper lip 2-lobed and lower lip 3-lobed (other divisions possible); stamens 2 or 4, often unequal in length; ovary superior, carpels 2 but appears as 4 often due to division into nutlets Fruit: usually 4 nutlets, 1-seeded, enclosed by persisting calyx Other: very common and numerous; exceptions to above characters do occur; Dicotyledons Group Genera: 250+ genera; selected local genera – Agastache (giant hyssop), Glechoma (ground ivy), Lamium, Leonurus, Mentha (mint), Monarda (bee-balm), Nepeta, Physostegia, Prunella (self-heal), Pycnanthemum (mountain mint)
WARNING – family descriptions are only a layman’s guide and should not be used as definitive Flower Morphology in the 5 united sepals, 5 united petals usually expressed as lobes (many strongly 2-lobed (3+2) but most combinations or none possible), ovary superior; stems usually square; many aromatic Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Examples of a few common genera (A-M)
[Common] Dittany Rough [Water-Horehound] [Western] Bugleweed Cunila origanoides (L.) Britton Lycopus asper Greene
Yellow Giant Hyssop Agastache nepetoides (L.) Kuntze
Field [Wild] Mint Purple Deadnettle Mentha arvensis L. Lamium purpureum L. var. purpureum Downy Wood-Mint [Downy (Introduced) Pagoda-Plant] Blephilia ciliata (L.) Benth.
Wild Bergamot Horsebalm [Richweed; Stoneroot] [Common] Motherwort Monarda fistulosa L. ssp. fistulosa Collinsonia canadensis L. Leonurus cardiaca L. (Introduced) var. fistulosa LAMIACEAE – MINT FAMILY
Yellow Giant Hyssop; Agastache nepetoides (L.) Kuntze Common [Carpet] Bugle; Ajuga reptans L. (Introduced) Downy Wood-Mint [Downy Pagoda-Plant]; Blephilia ciliata (L.) Benth. Hairy Wood-Mint [Pagoda-Plant]; Blephilia hirsuta (Pursh) Benth. Limestone Calamint; Clinopodium arkansanum (Nutt.) House Scarlet Calamint [Red Basil]; Clinopodium coccineum (Nutt. ex Hook.) Kuntze (Satureja coccineum) Horsebalm [Richweed; Stoneroot]; Collinsonia canadensis L. False [Minty] Rosemary; Conradina canescens (Torr. & A. Gray ex Benth.) A. Gray [Common] Dittany; Cunila origanoides (L.) Britton Gill-Over-The-Ground [Ground Ivy]; Glechoma hederacea L. (Introduced) Drummond's False [Mock] Pennyroyal; Hedeoma drummondii Benth. Rough False Pennyroyal; Hedeoma hispida Pursh Henbit; Lamium amplexicaule L. (Introduced) Purple Deadnettle; Lamium purpureum L. var. purpureum (Introduced) [Common] Motherwort; Leonurus cardiaca L. (Introduced) [Cut-Leaved] American [Bugleweed] Water Horehound; Lycopus americanus Muhl. ex W. Bart. Rough [Water-Horehound] Bugleweed; Lycopus asper Greene Virginia Water Horehound [Bugleweed]; Lycopus virginicus L. LAMIACEAE – MINT FAMILY
Lemon [Common] Balm; Melissa officinalis L. (Introduced) Field [Wild] Mint; Mentha arvensis L. Peppermint; Mentha piperita L. (hybrid of M. spicata x M. aquatica) (Introduced) Spearmint; Mentha spicata L. (Introduced) Foxtail Mint [Spearmint]; Mentha ×villosa Huds. (pro sp.) [spicata × suaveolens] (Introduced) Eastern Beebalm [Horse Mint]; Monarda bradburiana Beck [Scarlet] Bee-Balm [Oswego Tea]; Monarda didyma L. (often Introduced) Wild Bergamot; Monarda fistulosa L. ssp. Fistulosa var. fistulosa [Brown-Spotted] Horsemint [Spotted Beebalm]; Monarda punctata L. ssp. punctata var. villicaulis (Pennell) Palmer & Steyermark Yellow Giant Hyssop USDA Agastache nepetoides (L.) Kuntze Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: tall plant; 2-lipped mostly regular flower, pale, greenish-yellow in dense terminal spikes, 4 protruding stamens, sepals green; leaves toothed, ovate to somewhat lanceolate; stem mostly glabrous; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2005] Common [Carpet] USDA Bugle Ajuga reptans L. (Introduced) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Shawnee State Forest, Scioto County, Ohio Notes: flower light to bright blue with white streaks (less often white or pink), strongly 2- lipped, in dense clusters in leaf axils as a spike at top of stem; stem leaves opposite, ovate to elliptical, slightly toothed and subsessile, basal leaves long petiolate; stem with soft downy hairs; “homestead” plant often forming large mats; early to late spring [V Max Brown, 2009] Downy Wood-Mint [Downy Pagoda-Plant] USDA Blephilia ciliata (L.) Benth. Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Lake Charles State Park, Lawrence County, Arkansas Notes: flower light blue or purple with purple spots, strongly 2-lipped, 2 stamens, in dense clusters in leaf axils; leaves lanceolate to narrowly elliptical, sessile or with short petiole, weakly toothed; stem soft downy pubescent, hairs mostly recurved; summer (ID tentative) [V Max Brown, 2007] Hairy Wood-Mint [Pagoda-Plant] USDA Blephilia hirsuta (Pursh) Benth. Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Christian County, Missouri Notes: flower light blue or purple with purple spots, strongly 2-lipped, 2 stamens, in dense clusters in leaf axils or terminal with bracts, lower sepal lobes do not reach sinuses of upper sepal lobes; leaves lanceolate to mostly ovate, widest near the base, toothed or not, with petioles mostly 1 to 3 cm; stem very hairy, mostly spreading; late spring to early summer [V Max Brown, 2010] Limestone Calamint USDA Clinopodium arkansanum (Nutt.) House Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Lake Charles State Park, Lawrence County, Arkansas Notes: flower 2-lipped with 5 lobes, pale blue, on pedicels from leaf axils, sepal points of equal length, corolla hairy; paired leaves almost linear; stem mostly glabrous (some hairs); summer [V Max Brown, 2007] Scarlet Calamint [Red Basil] USDA Clinopodium coccineum (Nutt. ex Hook.) Kuntze (Satureja coccineum) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park, Okaloosa County, Florida Notes: flower 2-lipped, tubular with 5 lobes, lower lip blotched or speckled; scarlet red, on pedicels from leaf axils, brown dried sepals often overwinter; leaves opposite, entire, somewhat elliptical, edges often revolute, somewhat aromatic; stem woody; late spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2013] Horsebalm [Richweed; USDA Stoneroot] Collinsonia canadensis L. Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Pokagon State Park, Steuben County, Indiana Notes: 2-lipped flower (lower single lobe long and fringed, 4 upper lobes not fringed and similar), yellow, 2 stamens, long and protruding, flowers from terminal panicle; leaves opposite, ovate to somewhat lanceolate, large, toothed; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2005] False [Minty] Rosemary USDA Conradina canescens (Torr. & A. Gray ex Benth.) A. Gray Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Seagrove Beach, Walton County, Florida Notes: shrub, aromatic; flower light blue to lavender, strongly 2- lipped with with dark purple spots on lower lip, calyx hairy; stem leaves opposite, simple, linear, entire, revolute, with dense hairs on both sides (usually very short but may be longer); stem woody and peeling, with soft downy hairs; plant up to 0.5 – 0.7 m in height; spring to fall (sometimes winter) [V Max Brown, 2012] [Common] Dittany USDA Cunila origanoides (L.) Britton Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Sam A. Baker State Park, Madison County, Missouri Notes: 2-lipped (weak) flower, pinkish-purple (rarely white), funnel-shaped, stamens protruding (not attached to corolla lip), in axial clusters or terminal on branch; leaves nearly sessile, serrate, opposite and ovate; stem base somewhat woody; late summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2006] Gill-Over-The-Ground [Ground Ivy] USDA Glechoma hederacea L. (Introduced) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 2-lipped flower, blue to violet to purple, with pedicel, 1 or more from leaf axils; leaves ovate to reniform, bluntly toothed or crenate, with petioles; plant often creeping and forming mats and rooting at nodes; spring to fall [V Max Brown, 2004] Drummond's False [Mock] USDA Pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii Benth. Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Friedrich Wilderness Park, Bexar County, Texas Notes: weakly 2-lipped small flower, light blue to lavender to white, ciliate calyx with linear lobes, flowers from leaf axils; leaves mostly linear with one vein, entire, sessile to short petiolate, short and densely hairy; stem square, densely fine hairy, hairs curled downward; dry soils; late spring to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Rough False Pennyroyal USDA Hedeoma hispida Pursh Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: weakly 2-lipped small flower, blue, barely exerted from ciliate calyx, flowers radial from leaf axils; leaves mostly linear with one vein, entire, sessile, short hairs; stem square, densely fine pubescent; dry sandy areas; late spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2008] Henbit USDA Lamium amplexicaule L. (Introduced) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Sam A. Baker State Park, Wayne County, Missouri Notes: strongly 2-lipped flower, pink, reddish- purple to white, mostly sessile, much longer than sepals; leaves ovate to reniform, upper leaves sessile or clasping, lower with long petioles, coarsely toothed (almost lobed); spring to fall [V Max Brown, 2006] Purple Deadnettle USDA Lamium purpureum L. var. purpureum (Introduced) Laminaceae (Mint Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: strongly 2-lipped flower, purple to red-purple, rarely white; leaves somewhat ovate, upper leaves with short petioles, often tinged purple, teeth rounded (crenate); spring [V Max Brown, 2004] [Common] Motherwort USDA Leonurus cardiaca L. (Introduced) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: strongly 2-lipped flower, pink to white, upper lip with long hairs, 5 sepals with spines and much shorter than corolla, clustered in leaf axils; leaves distinctively 3- lobed; hairs on stem angles; late spring to early fall [V Max Brown, 2004] [Cut-Leaved] American USDA [Bugleweed] Water Horehound Lycopus americanus Muhl. ex W. Bart. Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Maumee Bay State Park, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-lobed (nearly regular) flower, white, sepals shorter than corolla tube; upper leaves serrate and mostly sessile, lower leaves deeply lobed or usually with irregular teeth and short petiolate; stem mostly glabrous to slightly hairy; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2006] Rough [Water-Horehound] USDA [Western] Bugleweed Lycopus asper Greene Laminaceae (Mint Family) Maumee Bay State Park, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-lobed (nearly regular) flower, white, some purple spots, sepal lobes narrow, somewhat triangular and sharp- pointed, 2 exerted stamens; leaves opposite, mostly sessile, serrate, basal part of leaf blade straight to convex (not concave); stem finely hairy; summer [V Max Brown, 2006] Virginia Water Horehound [Bugleweed] USDA Lycopus virginicus L. Laminaceae (Mint Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-lobed (nearly regular) flower, white, 2 stamens, corolla may be notched, corolla 3x that of sepals, sepals triangular; leaves opposite, mostly near sessile to very small petiole, serrate, basal part of leaf blade convex to concave (varieties); stem somewhat fine pubescent to glabrous; usually in wet places; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2008] Lemon [Common] Balm USDA Melissa officinalis L. (Introduced) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 2-lipped flower, mostly white to pale yellow, becoming pink to blue with age, 4 stamens, in clusters in leaf axils; leaves opposite, ovate, with petiole; stem hairy with glands; plant lemon scented; early cultivated, old homesteads and roadsides; summer [V Max Brown, 2006] Field [Wild] Mint USDA Mentha arvensis L. Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 2-lipped (weak) flower, pink or lavender to white, on pedicels, forming whorls at leaf stalk axils, 4 protruding stamens, sepals pubescent from base to tip; leaves ovate and toothed; stem hairy, 4-angled; strong mint odor; several varieties; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2005] Peppermint USDA Mentha piperita L. (hybrid of M. spicata x M. aquatica) (Introduced) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Alley Springs, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Shannon County, Missouri Notes: weakly 2-lipped flower, pink to light purple to whitish in verticils that become more crowded toward top of spike; leaves opposite, short petiolate, serrate, mostly glabrous although with a few hairs on lower surface; stem angular glabrous to slightly hairy; wet areas; peppermint odor; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Spearmint USDA Mentha spicata L. (Introduced) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: weakly 2-lipped flower, pink to light purple to whitish in verticils that become more crowded toward top of spike, calyx tube glandular, calyx lobes ciliate and hairy; leaves opposite, sessile to sub-sessile, sharply (acutely) serrate, mostly glabrous although with a few hairs on lower surface; stem angular; strong spearmint odor; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2009] Foxtail Mint [Spearmint] USDA Mentha ×villosa Huds. (pro sp.) [spicata × suaveolens] (Introduced) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Pokagon State Park, Steuben County, Indiana Notes: 2-lipped flower, pink to light purple to whitish in single terminal spikes, sepals densely hairy; leaves oblong, mostly sessile or very short petioles, toothed, densely hairy on both sides; stem hairy; strong spearmint odor; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2005] Eastern Beebalm [Horse Mint] USDA Monarda bradburiana Beck Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Alley Springs, Ozark National Riverways, Shannon County, Missouri Notes: strongly 2-lipped flower, white or light lavender with purple spots, lower lip recurved, upper lip arching with stamens protruding, calyx teeth about 1 mm, usually only one terminal cluster of flowers; leaves opposite, nearly sessile (very short petiole), somewhat hairy; stem square; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] [Scarlet] Bee-Balm [Oswego Tea] USDA Monarda didyma L. (often Introduced) Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Ste Genevieve, Ste Genevieve County, Missouri Notes: strongly 2-lipped flower, scarlet red or crimson, stamens protruding, bracts reddish, in dense head; leaves ovate to lanceolate, serrate, base somewhat cordate or not, with petioles; stem with fine hairs; often in moist woods; summer to fall (often introduced by cultivation) [V Max Brown, 2009] Wild Bergamot USDA Monarda fistulosa L. ssp. fistulosa var. fistulosa Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: strongly 2-lipped flower, light purple (lavender) to pink or nearly white, stamens protruding, calyx tube densely hirsute; leaves ovate to lanceolate, serrate, with petioles; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2004] [Brown-Spotted; Dotted] Horsemint USDA [Spotted Beebalm] Monarda punctata L. ssp. punctata var. villicaulis (Pennell) Palmer & Steyermark Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Kitty Todd Nature Preserve, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: strongly 2-lipped flower, cream to mostly yellowish with purple to brown spots, in axillary and terminal clusters; leaves lanceolate, fine teeth; stem very hairy; sandy soils; mid-summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2006]