Subfamily
VII. Subfam. Nepetoideae (Dumort.) Luerss. (1882).
VII. 2. Tribe Mentheae Dumort. (1827).
VII. 2. D. Tribe Mentheae: Incertae Sedis
Description
Perennial herbs, ± rhizomatous, aromatic; leaves simple, toothed; inflorescence of axillary verticillasters, widely spaced, with 2-16 flowers per verticillaster; bracts leaf-like; bracteoles small, patent; flowers with curved pedicels; calyx 2-lipped, 5-lobed (3/2), ± campanulate, lobes upcurved, ciliate, posterior lip with lobes very short, lower lip with lobes long-triangular, tube 13-nerved; corolla 2-lipped, hairy, white, cream or reddish, posterior lip shorter, with lobe rounded and emarginate, anterior lip with median lobe semiorbicular, deflexed, lateral lobes very small, ± triangular, corolla-tube dilated at throat; stamens 4, didynamous, exserted from tube, anterior pair longer, filaments ± straight, thecae divergent, confluent at base; stigma-lobes subulate, subequal; nutlets ovoid, smooth, mucilaginous. 2n = 32, 34, 64. Four species, usually in forests, Europe, N Africa, Macaronesia and Asia. Plants used as a source of essential oils, both medicinally and as flavouring.Distribution
Native to:
12 Southwestern Europe13 Southeastern Europe32 Middle Asia33 Caucasus34 Western Asia36 China38 Eastern Asia40 Indian Subcontinen41 Indo-China42 Malesia
Introduced in:
10 Northern Europe11 Middle Europe14 Eastern Europe20 Northern Africa21 Macaronesia50 Australia51 New Zealand71 Western Canada72 Eastern Canada73 Northwestern U.S.A.74 North-Central U.S.A.75 Northeastern U.S.A.76 Southwestern U.S.A.77 South-Central U.S.A.78 Southeastern U.S.A.85 Southern South America
Synonyms
Mutelia Gren. ex Mutel, Fl. Franē. 3: 21 (1836).
Publication
Melissa L., Sp. Pl. 2: 592 (1753).
Species found in RBG Kew living collections
1994-2690 Melissa officinalis 111 08 : 111 21 : 111 SEED 2007-1990 Melissa officinalis 'Aurea' HIGD 111 03 : 111 12 2000-3163 Melissa officinalis subsp. altissima N USBG 157 17
Image resource
© Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew