Internal links:             Angiosperms > Eudicots > Superastrids > Lamids > Lamids > Lamiaceae

External links:     Angiosperms > Eudicots > Superastrids > Lamids > Lamids > Lamiaceae

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms  > Eudicots > Asterids > Lamiales > Lamiaceae  

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Common name:        Mint or Sage                                              

Etymology:   Lamium, the genus name, is the Latin word for Dead-nettle; however, plants of this family were once known as Labiatae, and labia means lips. The distinctive two-lipped flowers of the Lamiaceae are sometimes referred to as bi-labiate.

Flowers:                  

• The alternative family name Labiatae refers to the flowers typically having petals fused into an upper lip and a lower lip (labia in Latin). 

• The flowers are bilaterally symmetrical with five united petals and five united sepals. 

• They are usually bisexual and verticillastrate (a flower cluster that looks like a whorl of flowers, but actually consists of two crowded clusters). 

• Although this is still considered an acceptable alternative name, most botanists now use the name Lamiaceae in referring to this family. 

Fruit:                         

• x

Leaves:         

•  The leaves emerge oppositely, each pair at right angles to the previous one (decussate) or whorled

Habit:        

•  Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, hyssop, thyme, lavender, and perilla, as well as other medicinal herbs such as catnip, salvia, bee balm, wild dagga, and oriental motherwort

• Some species are shrubs, trees (such as teak), or, rarely, vines

Habitat:                     

Species:                     

• World:            7 534 S,    236 G

• Australia:      S,    G

Additional notes:       

• The stems are frequently square in cross section, but this is not found in all members of the family, and is sometimes found in other plant families.

EXAMPLES:

Coleus

Plectanthorus

Postanthera

Teucrium

Westringia