Mentha spicata

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Species Distribution Map
Family:LAMIACEAE
Species:Mentha spicata L.
Common Name:Spearmint
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Herb
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:MESP3
Plant Notes:Spearmint is an introduced herbaceous perennial in the Mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to Europe and Asia. Spearmint is widely cultivated in Alabama, and has escaped to roadsides, wet ditches, and stream and pond margins. It is a perennial from a rhizome. Stems are erect, square in cross section, glabrous or with a few hairs, branched, and green to reddish-brown in color. Leaves are opposite, sessile or with short petioles, ovate to oblong or lanceolate in outline, pubescent or glabrous, with serrate margins. Due to a long history of cultivation the leaf shape and pubescence varies greatly. All parts of the plant are aromatic when crushed. Flowers are produced in a whorl that appears as one cluster, but is composed of two opposite axillary cymes (verticillasters). These are arranged in a terminal spike that is interrupted at the base. The individual flowers have a calyx with 5 teeth and a purplish, pinkish, or white corolla with 4 lobes, the upper lobe slightly larger and 2-toothed. The fruit is a brown nutlet. Spearmint is widely cultivated as a culinary herb. It can be eaten raw, added to salads, or used as a flavoring agent in various drinks and confections. Spearmint oil is also used in toothpaste, soaps, chewing gums, mouthwashes, and cough medicines. Numerous cultivars exist. Spearmint prefers a wet soil rich in organic matter in full to partial sun. It spreads aggressively by rhizomes and stolons, and is best grown in pots to confine it.—A. Diamond.
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Not Native, FACW+ (NWI)
References:**

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyLAMIACEAE - Mint family
Genus Mentha
Species Mentha spicata L. - Spearmint

Citation

Citation Mentha spicata Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 576. 1753.
Basionym: **
Type: Cult. in Holland, without data, Herb. Clifford 306 (lectotype: BM). Lectotypified by A. O. Tucker et al., Taxon 29: 234. 1980.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Mentha aquatica var. crispa Mentha aquatica Linnaeus, var. crispa (Linnaeus) Bentham, Labiat. Gen. Spec. 177. 1833.Mentha crispa Linnaeus 1753. 
Mentha crispa Mentha crispa Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 576. 1753. Cult. in Holland, without data, Herb. Clifford 306 (lectotype: BM). Lectotypified by A. O. Tucker et al., Taxon 29: 233-234. 1980.
Mentha piperita var. crispa Mentha piperita Linnaeus, var. crispa (Linnaeus) W. D. J. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ. Helv. 551. 1837.Mentha crispa Linnaeus 1753. 
Mentha spicata var. viridis Mentha spicata Linnaeus, var. viridis Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 576. 1753, nom. inadmiss.Mentha spicata Linnaeus 1753. 
Mentha sylvestris var. crispa Mentha sylvestris Linnaeus, var. crispa (Linnaeus) Alefeld, Landw. Fl. 117. 1866.Mentha crispa Linnaeus 1753. 
Mentha sylvestris var. glabra Mentha sylvestris Linnaeus, var. glabra W. D. J. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ. Helv. 550. 1837.Mentha spicata Linnaeus 1753. 
Mentha sylvestris var. viridis Mentha sylvestris Linnaeus, var. viridis Alefeld, Landw. Fl. 118. 1866, nom. illegit.Mentha viridis Linnaeus 1762, nom. illegit.; Mentha spicata Linnaeus, var. viridis Linnaeus 1753, nom. inadmiss.; Mentha spicata Linnaeus 1753. 
Mentha viridis Mentha viridis Linnaeus, Sp. Pl., ed. 2. 804. 1763, nom. illegit.Mentha spicata Linnaeus, var. viridis Linnaeus 1753, nom. inadmiss.; Mentha spicata Linnaeus 1753. 

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Bibb, Calhoun, Chambers, Etowah, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Macon, Marengo, Mobile, Montgomery

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, TROY, UNA, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1978 - 1978

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.		 Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used		 Image
AUA_ACC_42415 Lee 29 Jun 1972 Bloodworth, N.Beth
030		 AUA
Mentha Spicata L.
UWAL0045646 Limestone 03 Aug 2018 Finzel, Brian
s.n.		 UWAL
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
JSU126315 Calhoun 19 Aug 1969 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.		 JSU
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_48065 Jackson 4 Aug 1973 Spencer, S.K.
132		 AUA
Mentha Spicata L.
UNA00040269 Limestone 01 Aug 1978 Haynes, Robert R.
6806		 UNA
Mentha spicata L.
AUA_ACC_60720 Lee Anonymous
 AUA
Mentha Spicata L.
TROY000020802 Jefferson 11 Aug 2002 Diamond, Alvin R.
13535		 TROY
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_23880 Macon 5 Jul 1971 Spratling, R.E.
062		 AUA
Mentha Spicata L.
UNA00073495 Calhoun 12 Aug 2013 Spaulding, Daniel D.
13835		 UNA
Mentha spicata L.
JSU126313 Calhoun 16 Jun 1975 Wayner, Gary A.
519		 JSU
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
JSU126318 Calhoun 17 Jun 1985 Evans, Janet
004		 JSU
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
ALNHS00007367 Chambers 26 JUN 2019 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#4626		 ALNHS
Mentha spicata L.
JSU126316 Jackson 23 Jun 1975 Wayner, Gary A.
525		 JSU
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
UNA00040268 Mobile _ Jul _ Mohr, Charles
s.n.		 UNA
Mentha spicata L.
AUA_ACC_60721 Lee Hyatt, C.A.
 AUA
Mentha Spicata L.
TROY000020801 Bibb 14 Aug 2000 Kral, Robert
90126		 TROY
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_41976 Montgomery 1 Aug 1981 Eble, C.F.
088		 AUA
Mentha Spicata L.
TROY000046700 Marengo 25 Jul 2013 England, J. Kevin
4434		 TROY
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
JSU126314 Calhoun 16 Jun 1975 Wayner, Gary A.
519		 JSU
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
JSU126317 Calhoun 17 Jun 1985 Evans, Janet
004		 JSU
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
UWAL0017881 Calhoun 12 Aug 2013 Spaulding, Daniel D.
13835		 UWAL
Mentha spicata L.
ALNHS00006335 Limestone 03 Aug 2018 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#4285		 ALNHS
Mentha spicata L.
UWAL0017423 Marengo 25 Jul 2013 England, J. Kevin
4434		 UWAL
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
JSU126312 Etowah 28 Aug 1994 Hodge, Lesley M.
3277		 JSU
Mentha spicata Linnaeus
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