Common Name: MINT FAMILY
Habit: Annual to shrub [tree, vine], glabrous to hairy, generally aromatic. Stem: generally erect, generally 4-angled. Leaf: generally simple to deeply lobed, generally opposite, generally gland-dotted. Inflorescence: generally cymes, generally many in dense axillary clusters surrounding stem, generally separated by evident internodes or collectively crowded, spike- or panicle-like, occasionally head-like or raceme, subtended by leaves or bracts; flowers sessile or pedicelled. Flower: generally bisexual; calyx generally 5-lobed, radial to bilateral; corolla generally bilateral, 1--2-lipped, upper lip entire or 2-lobed, +- flat to hood-like, occasionally 0, lower lip generally 3-lobed; stamens generally 4, epipetalous, generally exserted, paired, pairs generally unequal, occasionally 2, staminodes 2 or 0; ovary superior, generally 4-lobed to base chambers 2, ovules 2 per chamber, style 1, generally arising from center at junction of lobes, stigmas generally 2. Fruit: generally 4 nutlets, generally ovoid to oblong, smooth.
Genera In Family: +- 230 genera, 7200 species: worldwide. Many cultivated for herbs, oils (Lavandula, lavender; Mentha, mint; Rosmarinus, rosemary; Thymus, thyme), some cultivated as ornamental (in California Cedronella, Leonotis, Monarda, Phlomis). Note: Moluccella laevis L., shell flower, historical waif in California. Satureja calamintha (L.) Scheele subsp. ascendens (Jordan) Briq. reported as alien but not naturalized. Salazaria moved to Scutellaria; California Hyptis moved to Condea, California Satureja moved to Clinopodium.
eFlora Treatment Author: Dieter H. Wilken & Margriet Wetherwax, family description, key to genera, except as noted
Scientific Editor: Douglas H. Goldman, Bruce G. Baldwin.

Common Name: THORNMINT
Habit: Annual, hairy or not, aromatic. Stem: erect, branched or not. Leaf: petioled; blade lanceolate to obovate, entire to spiny. Inflorescence: clusters, head-like, terminal and generally axillary; bracts generally scarious, veins conspicuous, margins spiny. Flower: calyx 2-lipped, lobes spine-tipped, upper 3 acuminate, lower 2 oblong; corolla funnel-shaped, 2-lipped, white, occasionally tinged lavender or rose, throat cream, upper lip 2-lobed to entire, hooded, lower lip 3-lobed, reflexed; stamens 4, upper 2 reduced, sterile or not; style slender, lower lobe longer. Fruit: smooth, ovoid.
Etymology: (Greek: thorn mint)
eFlora Treatment Author: John M. Miller & James D. Jokerst
Reference: Wagstaff et al. 1998 Pl Syst Evol 209:265--274
Unabridged Reference: Jokerst 1991 Madroño 38:278--286

Stem: 4--25 cm, generally branched proximally; hairs 0 to sparse, short or long, some inconspicuously glandular. Leaf: blade 8--12 mm, ovate or obovate; margin of proximal entire to serrate, distal spiny. Inflorescence: bracts 7--15 mm, shiny, straw-colored at flower, marginal spines 7, 9, or 11, 5--8 mm. Flower: calyx 7--13 mm, hairs occasionally glandular; corolla 12--27 mm, white, lobes purple-tipped, upper lip < lower, entire, shallowly hooded; upper stamens fertile, anthers long-hairy, cream, pollen cream. Chromosomes: 2n=38.