Wood calamint

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Satureja calamintha subsp. menthifolia
• Satureja menthifolia
• Calamintha officinalis subsp. menthifolia
• Calamintha menthifolia
• Calamintha montana subsp. menthifolia
• Calamintha officinalis f. menthifolia
• Calamintha officinalis var. menthifolia

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae, it is classified under the genus Clinopodium. Specifically, the species Clinopodium menthifolium represents a distinct member of this botanical lineage.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across several regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing within Great Britain and Ireland. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is also present in Austria and Belgium. Furthermore, its range extends through the territories of Czechia and Slovakia. Together, these locations define the primary geographical footprint of Clinopodium menthifolium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Clinopodium menthifolium is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse vertical gradient within its natural habitat. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, successfully colonizing various landscapes from lower reaches up to significant heights. Specifically, its ecological niche spans an elevational range starting from a minimum of 200 m AMSL and extending to a maximum of 1700 m AMSL. This wide range suggests a high degree of adaptability to varying temperature regimes, atmospheric pressures, and moisture levels found throughout these different montane and sub-montane zones.

Elevational range max:

1700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

200 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Clinopodium menthifolium is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth strategy, it exhibits a dual classification of life forms, functioning as both a chamaephyte and a hemicryptophyte. As a chamaephyte, its buds are located close to the soil surface, providing a level of resilience against environmental stressors, while its hemicryptophyte nature indicates that its perennating buds are situated at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or ground cover during unfavorable periods.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Clinopodium menthifolium is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, functioning as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber, liana, or vine. It is an independent species, not acting as a parasite or an epiphyte, and primarily maintains a terrestrial habit, although it can exist in semiaquatic or aquatic environments. The plant exhibits a relatively low stature, with a height ranging from a minimum of 0.03 m to a maximum of 0.7 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.7 m

Plant height min:

0.03 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Clinopodium menthifolium is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common mechanism for plants in this family to convert light energy into chemical energy. As a non-carnivorous organism, it relies entirely on its root system and soil nutrients for sustenance rather than capturing prey. Its vegetative morphology is defined by orbicular leaf forms that vary in dimension, with leaf lengths typically ranging from a minimum of 1.7 cm to a maximum of 4 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 1 cm and a maximum of 3 cm, facilitating the surface area necessary for its metabolic processes.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

orbicular

Leaf length max:

4 cm

Leaf length min:

1.7 cm

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Clinopodium menthifolium is primarily sexual, characterized by bisexual flowers that facilitate genetic diversity. The flowering period typically begins in July and extends through September. During this time, the plant produces pink flowers that range in length from 1 cm to 1.5 cm. The pollination process is biotic, specifically utilizing an insect-based syndrome with a particular reliance on bees. Self-fertilization is noted to be absent, necessitating these insect vectors for successful fertilization. Following pollination, the plant produces fruits containing a significant quantity of seeds, typically ranging between 11 and 100 seeds per fruit. These seeds are quite small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.00036 g, though they vary from a minimum of 0.00025 g to a maximum of 0.00049 g. Seed dispersal is achieved through a combination of syndromes, including zoochorous (animal-mediated) and autochorous (self-dispersal) mechanisms. There is no evidence of asexual reproduction in this species.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flower length max:

1.5 cm

Flower length min:

1 cm

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.00049 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000360388833333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.00025 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

11-100

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Clinopodium menthifolium has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Gastroprotective.

Gastroprotective

1. Journal of molecular histology

Conditions

Clinopodium menthifolium has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include gastric ulcers, peptic ulcers.

Gastric ulcers

1. Journal of molecular histology

Peptic ulcers

1. Journal of molecular histology

Preparations

Clinopodium menthifolium has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include CMEE, ethanol extracts.

Cmee

1. Journal of molecular histology

Ethanol extracts

1. Journal of molecular histology