ARABLE PLANT CRIB Mints, dead-nettles, hemp-nettles and woundworts Flow chart to help identify different members of the plant family (adapted from The Wild Flower Key by F. Rose) Corolla-lobes 4, ± equal – Corolla with well-developed Corolla with 2 unequal lobes, corolla 5 mm wide or less OR lower lip, upper lip absent or OR lobed or toothed lips composed of 2 tiny teeth Stamens 4 – leaves shallowly toothed, strongly mint-scented Corolla with a single Corolla with 3-lobed Calyx 2-lipped Calyx ± equally 5-lobed lower lip – lower lip – corolla with lips toothed 5-toothed, not Mints corolla tube hairless tube with ring of hairs clearly 2-lipped (Mentha) inside, with no teeth inside and 2 small at top teeth at top Calamint (Calamintha) Germanders Ground-pine (Teucrium) (Ajuga) Upper corolla-lip Upper corolla-lip flat – 2 arched or hooded – outer stamens shorter two outer stamens than inner 2 – leaves longer than inner white woolly below, two stamens green and downy above – flowers white with purple spots Cat-mint Lower corolla-lip Lower corolla-lip (Nepeta) at most notched forked at tip - side at tip – side lobes lobes tiny, ± reduced well developed, to teeth or flaps spreading Dead-nettles (Lamium) Calyx teeth forming Calyx teeth long long spines (5-7 mm) pointed (3-4 mm), – corolla with conical but not spine-like – bosses (projections) at corolla without bosses/ base of lower lip projections Names of identifing features Upper Hemp-nettles Woundworts corolla-lip / lobe (Galeopsis) (Stachys) Corolla Stamen Tooth Side lobes Calyx Lower corolla lip / lobe Illustrations by evansgraphic.co.uk ©Plantlife ARABLE PLANT CRIB / Mints, dead-nettles, hemp-nettles and woundworts Plant Corn mint Cat-mint Common Calamint Species Mentha arvensis Nepeta cataria Calamintha ascendens Size 10-30 cm Up to 20 cm 30-60 cm Stem Downy Grey-downy stems Tufted and hairy Smell Peppery-mint Minty Mint-scented Leaves The leaves have stalks (petioles) Oval-cordate leaves with coarse- Leaves are 2-4 cm long with 1 cm and are rounded-elliptical teeth. The leaves are stalked stalks. They are oval in outline with blunt ends. and coloured, grey woolly with a blunt end and truncate 2-6 cm long x 1-2 cm wide underneath and downy green bases. There are adpressed above. 3-7 cm in length hairs. The edge of the leaves have teeth Flowers Dense whorls in leaf axils. Oblong head of dense whorls Loose whorls in leaf axils forming a long spike Small – approx. 7 mm in length Small – approx 12 mm in length Medium – approx 15 mm in length Calyx Bell-shaped, very hairy, short Downy, tubular, 5 straight teeth 6-8 mm long, straight, 5-toothed, and blunt triangular teeth teeth with long hairs Petals Mauve with projecting stamens Corolla 12 mm, two-lipped, tube Corolla 10-15 mm long, pinkish curved, white with purple spots white with small purple dots on lower lip Flowering May-Oct July-Sept July-Sept period 15mm 12mm 7mm Illustrations by evansgraphic.co.uk ©Plantlife ARABLE PLANT CRIB / Mints, dead-nettles, hemp-nettles and woundworts Plant Common hemp-nettle Bifid hemp-nettle Red hemp-nettle Species Galeopsis tetrahit Galeopsis bifida Galeopsis angustifolia Size 10-80 cm 10-80 cm 10-60 cm Stem Joints swollen, stem branched Joints swollen, stem branched Joints not swollen , stems downy and bristly with sticky hairs and bristly with sticky hairs Leaves Oval in shape narrowing to the Oval in shape narrowing to the Narrow-lanceolate (spear- stalk and coarse-toothed. stalk and coarse-toothed. shaped) green leaves that are 2.5-10 cm in length 2.5-10 cm in length downy with a few small teeth. 1.5-8 cm in length Flowers Relatively loose whorls Relatively loose whorls Relatively loose whorls Medium – 10-20 mm in length Medium – 10-20 mm in length Large – 8-13 mm in length Calyx Bristly with long teeth, Bristly with long teeth, Hairy and tubular. sepals 12-14 mm sepals 12-14 mm Sepals 14-25 mm Medium – 13-20 mm in length Relatively loose whorls 6-8 mm long, straight, 5-toothed, teeth with long hairs Petals 13-20 mm long, pink or white 13-16 mm long, pink or white 1.5-2.5 cm long, rosy purple with purple markings on lower with darker markings on lower with usually 4 white spots on lip reaching half way to lip edge. lip reaching close to lip edge. bottom lip tube on projections The flower tube is as long as the The flower tube is as long as the (bumps). The flower tube is much calyx teeth. The lower petal lobe calyx teeth. The lower petal end longer than the calyx giving is not notched lobe is curved making it appear the appearance of the flower to be notched projecting Flowering July-Sept July-Aug June-Oct period 12mm 12mm 20mm Illustrations by evansgraphic.co.uk ©Plantlife ARABLE PLANT CRIB / Mints, dead-nettles, hemp-nettles and woundworts Plant Large-flowered hemp-nettle Downy hemp-nettle Species Galeopsis speciosa Galeopsis segetum Size 10-80 cm 10-50 cm Stem Stout and bristly Joints not swollen. The stem is hairy and the hairs point backwards, towards the ground Leaves Oval leaves that are pointed. Lanceolate to ovate, hairs 2.5-10 cm in length adpressed on top surface giving the leaves a velvety texture. 1.5-8 cm in length Flowers Relatively loose whorls Relatively loose whorls Very large – approx. Large – approx. 25 mm in length 30 mm in length Calyx Bristly with long teeth. Bristly, sepals 7-10 mm Sepals 12-17 mm Petals Corollas 30 mm long, pale yellow Corolla 25-30 mm, sulphur- with large violet blotches on yellow with a brighter yellow lower lip. The flower tube is tongue. The flower tube is four twice the length of calyx giving times as long as the calyx giving the appearance of the flower the appearance of the flower projecting projecting Flowering June-Aug July-Sept period 25 mm 30 mm Illustrations by evansgraphic.co.uk ©Plantlife ARABLE PLANT CRIB / Mints, dead-nettles, hemp-nettles and woundworts Plant Hedge woundwort Field woundwort Species Stachys sylvatica Stachys arvensis Size 30-80 cm Up to 20 cm Stem Patch-forming growth, harshly No glandular hairs hairy (pubescent). Glandular hairs present at top of plant Smell Unpleasantly pungent Unpleasantly pungent Leaves Oval-cordate leaves 4-9 cm in Oval and blunt-ended leaves length. The leaf stalks (petioles) with teeth around the edge. are 1.5-7 cm long 1.5-3 cm in length Flowers Inflorescence is a loose spike at Few-flowered whorls the tip of the plant Small – approx. 7 mm in length Medium – 12-15+ mm in length Calyx Rigid triangular teeth Sepal teeth long Petals Beetroot red with white pattern 6-7 mm long corollas, pale pink on lip. Corollas 13-18 mm Flowering July-Sept Apr-Nov period 15 mm 7 mm Illustrations by evansgraphic.co.uk ©Plantlife ARABLE PLANT CRIB / Mints, dead-nettles, hemp-nettles and woundworts Plant Cut-leaved germander Groundpine Species Teucrium botrys Ajuga chamaepitys Size 10-30 cm 5-20 cm Stem Erect, softly hairy Hairy and branched from base, erect to decumbent Smell Pineapple scented Pine resin Leaves Leaves triangular in outline Leaves divided into three and deeply divided (pinnate) narrow, linear blunt lobes into lobed blunt segments. They are 1-2.5 cm in length Flowers 2-6 flowered whorls up stem Two per whorl, shorter in leaf axils than leaves Medium – 15-20 mm Small – up to 10 mm Calyx Calyx tubular with 5 equal teeth Very short calyx with sharp teeth Petals Corolla is bright pink with a long Yellow corollas with a long lower lower lip 8+ mm long from the lip 7-15 mm that is red dotted. edge of the calyx to the tip of the Very short upper lip petal. Very short upper lip Flowering July-Sept May-Sept period 12 mm 10 mm Illustrations by evansgraphic.co.uk ©Plantlife ARABLE PLANT CRIB / Mints, dead-nettles, hemp-nettles and woundworts Plant Red dead-nettle Cut-leaved dead-nettle Northern dead-nettle Species Lamium purpurea Lamium hybridum Lamium confertum Size 10-30 cm 10-30 cm 5-25 cm Stem Branched at base Slender Downy, branched from base. Stouter than henbit dead-nettle Leaves Leaves and bracts 1-5 cm long. Bracts triangular-oval with Lower leaves are stalked. They are cordate-oval in outline truncate bases. Leaves are deeply Bracts are not clasping, with coarse-tooth. The teeth are toothed with many teeth greater Leaves are 1-4 cm in length less than 2 mm long than 2 mm long making the leaf look like it’s been cut Flowers Dense inflorescence Dense inflorescent Relatively loose whorls Small - 10-15 mm in length Small – 10-15 mm in length Medium – approx. 15 mm in length Calyx Downy with teeth the same Downy with teeth the same Adpressed hairs. Sepals are long length as the tube spreading in length as the tube spreading in and thin tapering to a point, fruit fruit 8-12 mm in length Petals Corolla 10-15 mm, pink-purple, Corolla 8-10mm, pink-purple, Corollas mostly 15 mm, pink- tube longer than calyx with ring few or no hairs inside purple of hairs inside Flowering Mar-Oct Mar-Oct May-Sept period 12 mm 12 mm 15 mm Illustrations by evansgraphic.co.uk ©Plantlife ARABLE PLANT CRIB / Mints, dead-nettles, hemp-nettles and woundworts Plant Henbit dead-nettle White dead-nettle Species Lamium amplexicaule Lamium album Size 5-25 cm 20-60 cm Stem Downy, branched from base Hairy Leaves Lower stalked leaves 1-2.5 cm, Stalked, pointed oval leaves rounded with blunt tips and with coarse teeth that are truncate bases.