corn mint

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• corn mint
• common mint
• corn mint
• field mint
• wild mint
• European corn mint
• marsh mint

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Mentha neesiana
• Mentha arvensis subsp. sylvatica
• Mentha arvensis var. ginsiensis
• Mentha arvensis var. exigua
• Mentha riparia var. pilosa
• Mentha × acutifolia var. nummularia
• Mentha parvula
• Mentha arvensis f. ocymoides
• Mentha arvensis var. nemorum
• Mentha arvensis var. angustifolia
• Mentha arvensis var. silvicola
• Mentha arvensis var. diffusa
• Mentha approximata
• Mentha × verticillata var. obtusata
• Mentha deflexa var. fruticulosa
• Mentha procumbens var. major
• Mentha arvensis var. approximata
• Mentha hostii
• Mentha sylvatica
• Mentha tenuicaulis
• Mentha thayana
• Mentha polymorpha
• Mentha slichoviensis
• Mentha bracteolata
• Mentha lata var. agraria
• Mentha fochii
• Mentha campestris
• Mentha campicola
• Mentha procumbens var. austriaca
• Mentha moldavica
• Mentha pascuorum
• Mentha arvensis subsp. agrestis
• Mentha pastoris
• Mentha arvicola
• Mentha piersiana
• Mentha arvensis var. marrubiastrum
• Mentha pilosa
• Mentha slichoviensis var. campicola
• Mentha pilosella
• Mentha mutabilis
• Mentha slichoviensis var. fossicola
• Mentha nobilis
• Mentha gintliana
• Mentha procumbens var. uliginosa
• Mentha nemorum
• Mentha procumbens var. ruralis
• Mentha ruralis
• Mentha multiflora
• Mentha procumbens var. ehrhartiana
• Mentha procumbens var. rigida
• Mentha melissifolia
• Mentha procumbens var. salebrosa
• Mentha moenchii
• Mentha procumbens var. segetalis
• Mentha minor
• Mentha arvensis var. distans
• Mentha mosana
• Mentha obtusodentata
• Mentha nummularia
• Mentha arvensis var. axioprepa
• Mentha obtusata
• Mentha arvensis var. diaphana
• Mentha arvensis var. illecebrosa
• Mentha arvensis var. palitzensis
• Mentha arvensis f. durolleana
• Mentha arvensis f. plagensis
• Mentha arvensis var. nobilis
• Mentha palitzensis
• Mentha arvensis f. pseudoagrestis
• Mentha parietariifolia
• Mentha arvensis f. hymenophylla
• Mentha parvifolia
• Mentha arvensis f. nummularia
• Mentha arvensis var. fontana
• Mentha maculata
• Mentha arvensis var. slichoviensis
• Mentha marrubiastrum
• Mentha arvensis f. pastoritia
• Mentha longibracteata
• Mentha arvensis f. sphenophylla
• Mentha arvensis var. pegaia
• Mentha latissima
• Mentha arvensis var. sabranskyi
• Mentha laxa
• Mentha arvensis var. araiodonta
• Mentha lamiifolia
• Mentha arvensis var. hostii
• Mentha lanceolata
• Mentha lapponica
• Mentha arvensis f. confertidens
• Mentha lata
• Mentha arvensis f. neesiana
• Mentha gracilescens
• Mentha arvensis f. olynthodos
• Mentha graveolens
• Mentha arvensis f. macrodonta
• Mentha hillebrandtii
• Mentha arvensis f. garonnensis
• Mentha gallica
• Mentha arvensis f. salebrosa
• Mentha gentiliformis
• Mentha arvensis f. alverniensis
• Mentha gentilis
• Mentha arvensis var. argutissima
• Mentha arvensis f. suecica
• Mentha arvensis f. campylocormos
• Mentha joffrei
• Mentha arvensis f. serpentina
• Mentha kitaibeliana
• Mentha arvensis f. deflexa
• Mentha viridula
• Mentha arvensis var. cryptodonta
• Mentha verisimilis
• Mentha arvensis var. foliicoma
• Mentha arvensis f. divergens
• Mentha vanhaesendonckii
• Mentha arvensis f. diffusa
• Mentha varians
• Mentha arvensis f. palustris
• Mentha arvensis f. styriaca
• Mentha arvensis f. adrophylloides
• Mentha agrestis var. subrotunda
• Mentha arvensis var. varians
• Mentha subcollina
• Mentha subcordata
• Mentha subinodora
• Mentha arvensis f. gentilis
• Mentha lanceolata var. sublanata
• Mentha lapponica subsp. parietariifolia
• Mentha × sativa subsp. humifusa
• Mentha schreberi
• Mentha × sativa subsp. parietariifolia
• Mentha scrophulariifolia
• Mentha × sativa subsp. procumbens
• Mentha segetalis
• Mentha salebrosa
• Mentha sparsiflora
• Mentha simplex
• Mentha arvensis var. hirsutior
• Mentha arvensis var. glabrior
• Mentha arvensis var. paludosa
• Mentha arvensis f. vulgaris
• Mentha arvensis var. caespitosa
• Mentha arvensis var. gentiliformis
• Mentha arvensis var. uliginosa
• Mentha arvensis f. albiflora
• Mentha arvensis f. badensis-obtusifolia
• Mentha arvensis f. badensis-parietariifolia
• Mentha austriaca f. boraei
• Mentha arvensis f. badensis-praecox
• Mentha arvensis f. gracilis
• Mentha arvensis f. hirtipes
• Mentha arvensis f. kolozsvariensis
• Mentha arvensis f. obtusifolia-praecox
• Mentha arvensis f. obtusifolia-produmbens
• Mentha arvensis f. parietariifolia-obtusifolia
• Mentha arvensis f. parietariifolia-praecox
• Mentha arvensis f. pumila
• Mentha arvensis f. ramosissima
• Mentha arvensis var. palustris
• Mentha arvensis subsp. praecox
• Mentha arvensihirsuta f. calcarea
• Mentha arvensiplicata
• Mentha arvensis var. turfosa
• Mentha arvensis var. aquatica
• Mentha arvensis var. hirsuta
• Mentha arvensis var. glabrescens
• Mentha arvensis var. gentilis
• Mentha arvensis var. lancifolia
• Mentha arvensis var. rotundifolia
• Mentha arvensis var. acuta
• Mentha arvensis var. brevidens
• Mentha arvensis var. campestris
• Mentha arvensis var. decipiens
• Mentha arvensis var. grossidentata
• Mentha arvensis var. kitaibeliana
• Mentha arvensis var. lapponica
• Mentha arvensis var. latifolia
• Mentha arvensis var. nemoralis
• Mentha arvensis var. longibracteata
• Mentha arvensis var. nummularia
• Mentha arvensis var. polymorpha
• Mentha arvensis var. prostrata
• Mentha arvensis var. pulegioides
• Mentha arvensis var. pumila
• Mentha arvensis var. subglabra
• Mentha arvensis var. subrotunda
• Mentha arvensis var. villosa
• Mentha arvensis var. villosissima
• Mentha arvensis var. parvifolia
• Mentha arvensis var. obornyana
• Mentha austriaca var. grata
• Mentha austriaca var. caespitosa
• Mentha austriaca var. multiflora
• Mentha austriaca var. pulchella
• Mentha parietariifolia var. ginsiensis
• Mentha arvensis var. hispidula
• Mentha lamprophyllos
• Mentha arvensis var. lamprophyllos
• Mentha austriaca var. salicetorum
• Mentha arvensis var. salicetorum
• Mentha × brachystachya var. stenodonta
• Mentha arvensis var. stenodonta
• Mentha deflexa var. simplex
• Mentha deflexa var. diffusa
• Mentha arvensis var. deflexa
• Mentha arvensis subsp. fontana
• Mentha arvensis var. multiflora
• Mentha arvensis var. austriaca
• Mentha arvensis var. badensis
• Mentha arvensis var. melanochroa
• Mentha arvensis var. obtusifolia
• Mentha arvensis var. radicans
• Mentha arvensis var. procumbens
• Mentha arvensis var. praecox
• Mentha arvensis var. allionii
• Mentha palustris var. reflexifolia
• Mentha arvensis var. parviflora
• Mentha agrestis
• Mentha arvensis var. dubia
• Mentha arvensis var. lanceolata
• Mentha arvensis subsp. lapponica
• Mentha arvensis var. agrestis
• Mentha ruderalis
• Mentha pulchella
• Mentha palustris var. mosana
• Mentha dissitiflora
• Mentha arvensis var. glabrata
• Mentha arguta
• Mentha palustris var. scrophulariifolia
• Mentha arvensis var. major
• Mentha arvensis f. lanceolata
• Mentha argutissima
• Mentha arvensis var. hillebrandtii
• Mentha arvensis var. sylvatica
• Mentha arvensihirsuta
• Mentha arvensis var. beckeriana
• Mentha arvensis subsp. austriaca
• Mentha × verticillata var. origanifolia
• Mentha anomala
• Mentha pulchella var. approximata
• Mentha arvensis var. crispa
• Mentha arvensis var. riparia
• Mentha allionii
• Mentha albae-carolinae
• Mentha arvensis f. ambleodonta
• Mentha arvensis f. lucorum
• Mentha arvensis f. sylvatica
• Mentha agrestris
• Mentha arvensis f. tenuifolia
• Mentha alberti
• Mentha arvensis var. campeomischos
• Mentha atrovirens
• Mentha arvensis f. domita
• Mentha arvensis var. praeclara
• Mentha arvensis f. cuneisecta
• Mentha arvensis var. cuneifolia
• Mentha arvensis f. licaensis
• Mentha arvensis var. duftschmidii
• Mentha arvensis f. losarvensis
• Mentha arvensis f. gallica
• Mentha arvensis f. pacheri
• Mentha arvensis f. mutabilis
• Mentha arvensis f. campicola
• Mentha arvensis f. obtusidentata
• Mentha arvensis var. cyrtodonta
• Mentha arvensis subsp. parietariifolia
• Mentha arvensis f. pacheriana
• Mentha arvensis var. parietariifolia
• Mentha arvensis f. vicearvensis
• Mentha arvensis var. pascuorum
• Mentha arvensis f. bracteoligera
• Mentha arvensis f. hirticalyx
• Mentha badensis
• Mentha arvensis f. setigera
• Mentha baguetiana
• Mentha arvensis f. savensis
• Mentha austriaca
• Mentha arvensis var. glabriuscula
• Mentha barbata
• Mentha × verticillata var. moenchiana
• Mentha × sativa var. flexuosa
• Mentha × sativa var. subrotundifolia
• Mentha diffusa
• Mentha densiflora
• Mentha arvensis var. minor
• Mentha densifoliata
• Mentha × verticillata var. arguta
• Mentha deflexa
• Mentha × verticillata f. rothii
• Mentha cuneifolia
• Mentha arvensis f. dolichophylla
• Mentha ehrhartiana
• Mentha arvensis subf. dolichophylla
• Mentha arvensis f. albensis
• Mentha duffourii
• Mentha arvensis f. borsodensis
• Mentha duftschmidii
• Mentha arvensis f. divaricata
• Mentha distans
• Mentha arvensis f. subarguta
• Mentha arvensis var. domita
• Mentha arvensis f. regularis
• Mentha flexuosa
• Mentha arvensis f. pulegiformis
• Mentha florida
• Mentha arvensis f. holubyana
• Mentha foliicoma
• Mentha fontana
• Mentha arvensis f. procumbens
• Mentha fontqueri
• Mentha jahniana
• Mentha fossicola
• Mentha plagensis
• Mentha praeclara
• Mentha flagellifera
• Mentha multiflora var. serpentina
• Mentha rigida
• Mentha sparsiflora var. pascuorum
• Mentha rothii
• Mentha subfontanea
• Mentha rotundata
• Mentha arenaria
• Mentha argutissima var. recedens
• Mentha collina
• Mentha hostii var. arvina
• Mentha pulegiformis
• Mentha divergens
• Mentha procumbens
• Mentha duftschmidii
• Mentha prostrata
• Mentha argutissima var. subpilosa
• Mentha praticola
• Mentha fontana var. conferta
• Mentha praecox
• Mentha fontana var. brevibracteata
• Mentha plicata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Lamiales, it is a member of the family Lamiaceae. Within this family, it is specifically categorized under the genus Mentha.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad presence across various regions within Northern Europe. Its distribution can be observed throughout the islands of the Faroe Islands and the rugged terrain of Iceland. Additionally, it is commonly found growing in the landscapes of Denmark and Finland. The species also extends its range to include parts of Great Britain. These specific locations highlight the northern affinity of this medicinal herb.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Mentha arvensis is characterized by its ability to thrive in a diverse array of moist and semi-aquatic environments, ranging from the margins of canals, rivers, and lakes to the edges of swamps and shores. It is frequently found colonizing damp meadows, old fields, and forest clearings, as well as integrated within the moist soils of various crop fields. This plant exhibits significant altitudinal versatility, with a mean elevational range reaching approximately 1800 m AMSL, allowing it to inhabit both lowland riparian zones and higher-altitude damp terrains.

Elevational range mean:

1800 m AMSL

Habitat :

canals, crop fields, forest, lakes, meadows, old fields, rivers, shores, swamps

Life history

The life history of Mentha arvensis is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its regenerative buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or organic debris during unfavorable conditions. The plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage as it enters dormancy to survive seasonal changes. This life strategy enables the plant to re-emerge annually, utilizing its established root systems to maintain stability and facilitate rapid growth in its preferred habitats.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Mentha arvensis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber or a parasite, maintaining an independent lifestyle. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior. The plant's stature is relatively modest, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 1 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.52 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.52 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Mentha arvensis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and environmental adaptations. The plant is non-carnivorous, relying on traditional nutrient uptake through its root system rather than capturing prey. Its vegetative structure exhibits specific morphological parameters, including a mean leaf width of 1.6 cm, a value that remains consistent across its minimum and maximum recorded widths. The foliage displays a mean leaf size of approximately 6.04251 cm², with individual leaf lengths reaching a maximum of 4 cm. Furthermore, the plant demonstrates a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 418.31 cm²/g, a metric that reflects its leaf thickness and its strategy for optimizing light interception and gas exchange within its habitat.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

4 cm

Leaf size mean:

6.04251 cm²

Leaf width mean:

1.6 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

418.31 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Mentha arvensis is characterized by a sexual reproductive strategy involving bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being notably absent. The flowering period typically commences in June and extends through October. The pollination process is biotic in nature, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome with bees serving as a primary pollinator. Following fertilization, the plant produces dry fruits with a mean length of 0.1 cm. The resulting seeds are minute, characterized by a mean mass of approximately 0.000169611 g (ranging from a minimum of 6e-05 g to a maximum of 0.00036 g) and a consistent seed volume of 0.18 mm³. Self-fertilization is absent in this species, ensuring genetic diversity through its insect-mediated processes. For dispersal, the plant employs a hydrochorous syndrome, relying on water to transport its seeds to new locations.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length mean:

0.1 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.00036 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000169611 g

Seed mass min:

6e-05 g

Seed volume max:

0.18 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Mentha arvensis has 2 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root.

Leaf

1. BMC plant biology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
4. Environmental research
5. Natural product research

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Mentha arvensis has 51 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include MENTHOL, MENTHONE, CD, CHLOROPHYLL, (+)-Neomenthol.

MENTHOL

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
3. Protoplasma
4. Bioresource technology
5. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

MENTHONE

1. Journal of environmental management
2. Pest management science
3. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

CD

1. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety
2. Frontiers in plant science

CHLOROPHYLL

1. Protoplasma
2. Malaysian journal of nutrition

(+)-Neomenthol

1. Physiologia plantarum

(-)-Menthone

1. Physiologia plantarum

(-)-menthol

1. Physiologia plantarum

1-OCTADECANOL

1. Natural product research

ALPHA-PINENE

1. Pest management science

ALPHA-THUJENE

1. Frontiers in molecular biosciences

Activities

Mentha arvensis has 10 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Anticancer, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic.

Antioxidant

1. BMC plant biology
2. BMC research notes
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Natural product research

Antimicrobial

1. BMC plant biology
2. Frontiers in nutrition
3. ACS omega

Anticancer

1. BMC plant biology
2. Natural product research

Antibacterial

1. ACS omega

Antidiabetic

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Antifungal

1. ACS omega

Antitumor

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Antiulcer

1. BMC plant biology

Cardioprotective

1. BMC plant biology

Hepatoprotective

1. BMC plant biology

Medicinal Uses

Mentha arvensis has 25 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antioxidant, Aspergillus niger, COVID-19, Candidiasis, E. coli.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations