The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California

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  • Up-to-date information about California vascular plants is available from the Jepson eFlora.

Names are linked to treatments from the Manual


Key to MENTHA

N.B.: couplets are linked, e.g., 1. is linked to 1'.

  1. Internodes between upper inflorescences evident, generally > 1 cm; inflorescences subtended by ovate, elliptic, or lanceolate leaves
 
    2. Leaves subtending inflorescence 1.5–3 cm, > inflorescence diam, spreading, generally serrate
M. arvensis
    2' Leaves subtending inflorescences generally < 1 cm, generally < inflorescence diam, reflexed, generally entire
M. pulegium
  1' Internodes between upper inflorescences generally inconspicuous, generally < 6 mm; inflorescence generally subtended by linear, lanceolate, or awl-like bracts
 
    3. Cauline leaves petioled, petiole 3–8 mm; inflorescences generally > 10 mm diam, head-like, lower 2–3 separated by short internodes
M. ×piperita
    3' Cauline leaves subsessile or sessile, petiole < 1 mm; inflorescences generally < 5 mm diam, collectively spike-like
 
      4. Cauline leaf base obtuse or rounded, tip acute or acuminate, lower surface generally glabrous or white-soft-hairy
M. spicata var. spicata
      4' Cauline leaf base slightly lobed, tip rounded, lower surface stellate-tomentose
M. suaveolens


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