Jepson eFlora: Key page
Vascular Plants of California
Key to families | Table of families and genera

Key to Mentha

View taxon page for Mentha

(For a list of species in Mentha, use the above link.)

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Calyx interior with ring of hairs; vegetative stems , flowering stems upright ..... M. pulegium

1' Calyx interior glabrous or hairs few, scattered; both vegetative and flowering stems upright

2. Inflorescence generally 

3. All leaves ± equal in size,  generally , generally spicy-scented ..... M. arvensis

3' Leaves reduced in size distally, blade generally  to , generally pennyroyal- or spearmint-scented

4. Leaves gradually reduced distally on stem, generally pennyroyal-scented ..... M. canadensis

4' Leaves greatly reduced distally on stem, generally spearmint-scented (fruit-scented)

5. Calyx 1.5–3 mm,  triangular ..... M. ×gracilis

5' Calyx 2.5–4 mm, lobes sharply tapering ..... M. ×smithiana

2' Inflorescence terminal

6. Inflorescence generally head-like, clustered at distal 3–5 

7. Blade generally ovate, generally lavender- and citrus-scented ..... M. aquatica

7' Blade ovate to lanceolate, generally peppermint- or spearmint-scented (lavender and citrus) ..... M. ×piperita

6' Inflorescence spike-like

8. Leaves wrinkled

9. Blade lance-oblong, glabrous (branched-hairy abaxially), spearmint-scented ..... M. spicata (2)

9' Blade ovate, with scattered many-branched hairs abaxially, fruit-scented ..... M. suaveolens

8' Leaves not wrinkled, occasionally deeply veined

10. Blade lanceolate to lance-oblong

11. Blade widest near middle, hairs unbranched; fertile anthers ± 0.3–0.4 mm; generally musty-scented ..... M. longifolia

11' Blade widest near base, occasionally branched-hairy abaxially; fertile anthers ± 0.4–0.5 mm; generally spearmint-scented ..... M. spicata (2)

10' Blade  to ovate

12. Calyx ; fertile anthers 4;  blade base  to ± lobed; corolla 2.5–3.5 mm; GV, CCo, TR ..... M. ×rotundifolia

12' Calyx generally canescent; fertile anthers generally 0; leaf blade base tapered; corolla 3–4 mm; TR ..... M. ×villosa

 

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) . Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ [accessed on ]

Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on .

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