LABIATAE 



MINT FAMILY 



NARROW-LEAVED MOUNTAIN MINT 



Pycnanthemum flexuosum (Walt.) BSP. 



The Mountain Mints are not so conspicuous as some other 

 members of the family but they are common, often abundant and 

 have the characteristic Mint flavor and odor. The Narrow-leaved 

 Mountain Mint, though much 

 less fragrant than others, is the 

 commonest species in most 

 parts of the state and frequently 

 covers considerable areas on 

 dry hills, fields or in thickets 

 that are not too shady. It 

 grows from Maine to Florida, 

 west to Minnesota, Kansas and 

 Texas. 



The square, slender, freely 

 branching stems, 18-30 inches 

 high, are rather stiff and nearly 

 smooth throughout. The 

 smooth firm leaves are narrow 

 and sessile, the lowermost, 

 sometimes on short petioles, 

 excepted. 



The blooming season is July 

 to September. The dense flower 

 clusters are terminal and whit- 

 ish from the numerous white 

 hairs that cover calyx and 



bracts. The calyx is nearly equally 5-toothed. The whitish corolla 

 has 2 purple-dotted lips, of which the upper is merely notched 

 and the lower 3-cleft. The 4 stamens are arranged in pairs usually 

 of unequal length. The ovary is deeply 4-parted and the style 

 slender. The fruit consists of 4 seedlike nutlets. 



The Virginia Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum virginianum (L.) 

 Durand & Jackson, is about equally common but more likely to 

 be found on rather moist prairies. The numerous leaves are lanceo- 

 late rather than linear but otherwise this is quite similar to the 

 narrow-leaved species. It ranges from Maine to Georgia, west to the 

 Dakotas, blooming from July to September. 



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