MENTHA

the mint genus, containing 25 species of aromatic herbs native in temperate Eurasia, North America, southern Africa, and Australia. It belongs to the family Lamiaceae, order Lamiales, though the flowers are not typical of members of that family, having four rather than five united petals. The blue to lavender or white flowers bloom in whorls along the stem. Spearmint (M. spicata), which grows to about 90 cm (3 feet) high, with open spikes of pink or lilac flowers and stalkless leaves, has the characteristic mint fragrance. Peppermint (M. piperita) has a heavier scent, stalked leaves, and reddish lilac flowers in denser spikes. Peppermint may be a hybrid between spearmint and water mint (M. aquatica), which has hairy stems, broadly oval, scented leaves, and a globed head of lavender flowers. Pennyroyal (M. pulegium) is a low plant with small, oval, scented leaves and bluish lilac flowers. All four species, native to Eurasia and naturalized in North America, are common in moist meadows. Wild mint (M. arvensis), native in North America and Eurasia, reaches about 1 m (over 3 feet) high. See also mint.