MINT FAMILY. Labiates. 



The genus Mentha is a tribe of odorous perennial herbs 

 with little tubular flowers mostly in close clusters ; the 

 plant-stems square. Almost all the species are natural- 

 ized from Europe, and there are many hybrids. Name 

 from MivQrj (of Theophrastus), a Nymph. The mints are 

 commonly fertilized by the order Diptera (the flies), and 

 particularly by the genera Syrphidce and Bombylidce. 



Flowers in rather crowded, slender, 

 Horse Mint 



Mentha leafless spikes, sometimes disconnected. 



longifolia Leaves ovate-oblong and ovate lance- 



Pale purple shaped, almost stemless, sharp-pointed 

 July-August and sharply toothed, often smooth above, 

 but the whole plant generally finely white-haired. Plant- 

 stem square. 18 inches high. Roadsides and field-, 

 borders. Pa. and N. J. Mentha alopecuroides has 

 larger leaves, stemless, broadly oval and obtuse, often 

 approaching heart-shape, coarsely toothed and more 

 veiny. Southern N. Y., Pa., and N. J., west to Mo. 



Flowers variable in depth of color ; clus- 

 Spearmtnt ters crowded like those of the preced- 



Mentha sptcata j species, but especially narrow and 



Pale purple 



July-August pointed. Plant-stem green, square, and 



nearly smooth. Leaves oblong or ovate 

 lance-shaped, unevenly toothed and stemless or very 

 nearly so. 12-20 inches high or more. Wet places and 

 roadsides in cultivated ground, everywhere. 



Flowers in narrow, loose, disconnected, 

 Peppermint 

 Mentha leafless, terminal spikes, and often on a 



piperita rather long stem proceeding from between 



Pale purple the plant-stem and leaf-stem. Leaves 

 long-ovate, deep green, smooth, and regu- 

 larly toothed, slightly rough beneath, and very hot- 

 tasting. Plant-stem purplish, 18-36 inches high. Along 

 brooks and in cultivated ground everywhere. 



The flowers in a roundish or nearly 

 Water Mint. 

 Mentha oblong terminal cluster ; frequently there 



aquatica are one or more clusters between the 



Pale purple plant-stem and the upper leaf -stems. 



August- Leaves ovate or round-ovate. The plant 



is characterized by downy hairs (rarely it 



is smoothish) which generally point downward. Wet 



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