common balm

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• balm
• bee herb
• common balm
• garden balm
• lemon balm
• sweet balm
• tea balm
• beebalm

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Faucibarba officinalis
• Mutelia officinalis
• Thymus melissa

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

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 Melissa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence is well-documented in Denmark and Sweden. It is also frequently found throughout the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward Central Europe, the species can be located within the borders of Austria. Together, these locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in diverse temperate environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Melissa officinalis is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse range of altitudinal gradients and environmental settings. It can be found at elevations ranging from a minimum of 50 m AMSL to a maximum of 3000 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range of approximately 1850 m AMSL. In terms of specific environments, this species typically colonizes forest areas and ruderal sites, demonstrating a notable adaptability to both natural woodland ecosystems and disturbed, human-influenced landscapes.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1850 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

50 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, ruderal sites

Life history

The life history of Melissa officinalis is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its perenn Perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or snow during unfavorable conditions. This life form enables the species to maintain stability and regenerate effectively each year. In terms of its foliage and seasonal behavior, the plant is categorized as evergreen, maintaining its biological presence and structural integrity across various climatic shifts.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Melissa officinalis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. As a terrestrial, independent plant, it does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite. The plant exhibits a self-supporting climbing habit, though it is primarily categorized as self-supporting rather than a liana or vine. Its shoots follow an ascending orientation, growing upward from the base. In terms of stature, the plant's height is variable, with a minimum recorded height of 0.2 m, a mean height of 0.525 m, and a maximum height reaching up to 1.25 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.25 m

Plant height mean:

0.525 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Shoot orientation :

ascending

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Melissa officinalis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. Morphologically, the plant's leaf structure exhibits significant variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 10 cm, while leaf widths fluctuate between a minimum of 1.5 cm and a maximum of 7.5 cm, maintaining a mean width of approximately 4 cm. These leaves typically display an elliptic form. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of nitrogen from the soil rather than through symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

7.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Melissa officinalis is characterized by sexual processes via bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being notably absent. The flowering period typically begins in June and concludes in August, featuring small white flowers that range in length from 1 cm to a maximum of 1.2 cm. These flowers rely on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically involving insects, to facilitate fertilization, as self-fertilization is absent. Following pollination, the plant develops indehiscent brown fruits known as achenes. These fruits are relatively small, with a mean length of 0.2 cm (ranging from a minimum of 0.15 cm to a maximum of 0.2 cm). Each fruit is prolific, containing between 101 and 1000 seeds. The seeds themselves are minute, with a mean mass of approximately 0.00068825 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.000122 g to a maximum of 0.0009 g. Dispersal of the seeds follows an unspecialized pattern, though it also exhibits anthropochorous tendencies, meaning dispersal can be facilitated by human activity.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flower length max:

1.2 cm

Flower length min:

1 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit colour :

brown

Fruit length max:

0.2 cm

Fruit length min:

0.15 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

9e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00068825 g

Seed mass min:

0.000122 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Melissa officinalis has 2 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.

Leaf

1. International journal of clinical practice
2. Journal of natural products
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
5. Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti

Stem

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Melissa officinalis has 195 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, Flavonoids, CITRONELLAL, NERAL.

rosmarinic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
5. Nutrients

caffeic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Experimental and therapeutic medicine
3. Journal of natural products
4. Chemotherapy
5. Pharmaceutical biology

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. BMC plant biology
3. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)
4. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
5. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

CITRONELLAL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Cells
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. International journal of molecular sciences

NERAL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. International journal of molecular sciences

Citral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica
3. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
4. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

FE

1. Food chemistry
2. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti

GERANIAL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. International journal of molecular sciences

polyphenols

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Genetics and molecular research : GMR

CA

1. Food chemistry
2. Roczniki Panstwowego Zakladu Higieny
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Melissa officinalis has 375 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anticancer, Antispasmodic, Antiviral.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Planta medica
4. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology
5. Advances in clinical and experimental medicine : official organ Wroclaw Medical University

Antimicrobial

1. Pharmaceutics
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)
3. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity
4. Journal of natural products
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutics
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

Cardioprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of clinical practice
3. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Hypnotic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Medical archives (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Neuroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food & function
3. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)

Sedative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Medical archives (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
3. Genetics and molecular research : GMR

Spasmolytic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Medical archives (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
3. Genetics and molecular research : GMR

Medicinal Uses

Melissa officinalis has 98 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include anxiety, Alzheimer's disease, depression, insomnia, type 2 diabetes.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations