Mentha canadensis

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Clinopodium purpureum
• Mentha sachalinensis
• Mentha arvensis f. glabrata
• Satureja purpurea
• Mentha arvensis var. occidentalis
• Mentha canadensis subsp. borealis
• Mentha haplocalyx var. pilosa
• Mentha haplocalyx
• Mentha haplocalyx f. alba
• Mentha terebinthinacea
• Mentha canadensis var. retrorsa
• Mentha arvensis var. zollingeri
• Mentha canadensis var. sachalinensis
• Mentha arvensis subsp. haplocalyx
• Mentha canadensis var. borealis
• Hedeoma purpurea
• Mentha sachalinensis f. pilosa
• Mentha arvensis var. barbata
• Mentha canadensis var. glabrata
• Mentha canadensis f. pilosa
• Mentha haplocalyx var. barbata
• Mentha canadensis var. glabrior
• Mentha arvensis f. chinensis
• Mentha canadensis var. lanata
• Mentha canadensis subsp. lanata
• Mentha canadensis var. mexicana
• Mentha haplocalyx var. sachalinensis
• Mentha canadensis var. piperascens
• Mentha borealis
• Mentha glauca
• Mentha arvensis f. puberula
• Mentha arvensis var. sachalinensis
• Mentha arvensis var. schmitzii
• Mentha arvensis var. pavoniana
• Mentha arvensis f. pedunculata
• Mentha arvensis var. penardii
• Mentha arvensis var. piperascens
• Mentha arvensis subsp. piperascens
• Mentha arvensis var. glabra
• Mentha arvensis f. glabra
• Mentha arvensis var. haplocalyx
• Mentha arvensis var. javanica
• Mentha arvensis f. lanata
• Mentha arvensis var. lanata
• Mentha arvensis f. lanigera
• Mentha disperma
• Mentha arvensis var. borealis
• Mentha arvensis subsp. borealis
• Mentha arvensis f. brevipilosa
• Mentha arvensis var. canadensis
• Mentha arvensis subsp. canadensis
• Mentha occidentalis
• Mentha penardii
• Mentha javanica
• Mentha glabrior
• Mentha glauca var. parvifolia
• Mentha haplocalyx subsp. austera
• Mentha haplocalyx var. nipponensis
• Mentha haplocalyx subsp. pavoniana
• Mentha haplocalyx var. piperascens
• Mentha sachalinensis f. arguta
• Mentha sachalinensis var. arguta
• Micromeria purpurea

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, its taxonomic placement is completed within the genus Mentha.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Mentha canadensis, exhibits a specific geographical presence across several regions within Siberia. It can be found growing in the Buryatiya region, where its unique environmental conditions support its development. Additionally, the species is distributed throughout the Chita area, extending its reach across the vast Siberian landscape. Its habitat also includes the territories of Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk, marking significant pockets of its natural range. Finally, the plant's distribution reaches into Tuva, completing its documented presence in these diverse Siberian locales.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Mentha canadensis is characterized by its preference for highly specific, moisture-rich environments, primarily colonizing habitats such as wet meadows, shores, and shrubberies. This plant thrives in areas where water availability is consistent, allowing it to establish itself within these damp niches. Its vertical distribution is remarkably specialized, as it is found within an elevational range that reaches up to 3500 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

3500 m AMSL

Habitat :

meadows: wet, shores, shrubberies

Life history

The life history of Mentha canadensis is characterized by a versatile growth strategy, as its lifecycle can be described as variable, encompassing annual, biennial, and perennial stages depending on environmental conditions. Morphologically, the plant is classified as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or the uppermost layer of the substrate. This hemicryptophytic nature allows the species to persist through unfavorable seasons by utilizing these surface-level buds to re-emerge, facilitating its ability to colonize diverse and fluctuating habitats.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Mentha canadensis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, typically manifesting as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or liana. It functions as an independent organism, lacking parasitic or epiphytic tendencies, and is primarily terrestrial, though it can inhabit semiaquatic environments. The plant reaches a modest stature, with a height ranging from a minimum of 0.4 m to a maximum of 1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.4 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Mentha canadensis is characterized by a fundamental reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and energy conversion efficiency. As a C3 plant, it utilizes the enzyme Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide directly into three-carbon molecules during the Calvin cycle, a process that is highly efficient under moderate temperatures and moist environmental conditions. This metabolic framework is closely integrated with its specialized glandular trichomes, which serve as physiological hubs for the biosynthesis and storage of volatile essential oils, such as menthol and pulegone. The plant's transpiration rates and water-use efficiency are tightly regulated by stomatal conductance, which mediates the gas exchange necessary to balance CO2 uptake with the prevention of excessive water loss. Furthermore, its physiological vigor is supported by an extensive rhizomatous root system that facilitates nutrient uptake and serves as a primary site for carbohydrate storage, ensuring metabolic continuity during varying seasonal shifts.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Mentha canadensis is characterized by a specific seasonal phenology regarding its floral development. The flowering period for this species typically commences in July and reaches its conclusion in August. This relatively concentrated blooming window dictates the timing for pollination and subsequent seed production within its lifecycle.

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Aug

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Mentha canadensis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Recent patents on biotechnology

Chemicals

Mentha canadensis has 124 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include MENTHOL, MENTHONE, (-)-Menthone, (-)-menthol, LIMONENE.

MENTHOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Journal of natural medicines
5. Chemistry & biodiversity

MENTHONE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Chemistry & biodiversity

(-)-Menthone

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta

(-)-menthol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta

LIMONENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

PIPERITONE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Pulegone

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

(+)-1,2-Epoxyneomenthyl acetate

1. Dr. Duke

(+)-Carvone

1. Dr. Duke

(+)-Isomenthone

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Mentha canadensis has 449 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antioxidant.

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry
3. Scientific reports

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

Antipruritic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

ABeta-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Mentha canadensis has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antiviral, dry eye disease.

Antiviral

1. Scientific reports

Dry eye disease

1. Frontiers in immunology

Preparations

Mentha canadensis has 5 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oil, essential oils, leaves, volatile oil, whole plant.

Essential oil

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Essential oils

1. Scientific reports

Leaves

1. Recent patents on biotechnology

Volatile oil

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Whole plant

1. Veterinary parasitology