Water Spearmint

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Water Spearmint
• Hart's Pennyroyal

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pulegium cervinum
• Preslia villiflora
• Mentha punctata
• Preslia cervina
• Preslia glabriflora
• Mentha multifida
• Preslia cervina subvar. glabriflora
• Preslia cervina subvar. villiflora

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. It falls under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Lamiales, specifically within the family Lamiaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement in the genus Mentha.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across various regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence is noted within Great Britain. Moving toward the southwestern part of the continent, it can be found in France, Portugal, and Spain. Additionally, the species extends into Southeastern Europe, specifically inhabiting Italy. These locations define the primary geographical range of Mentha cervina.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Mentha cervina is characterized by its classification as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or soil. Specifically, within the various botanical life form frameworks, it is identified as a hemicryptophyte (trait_2: hemicryptophyte), distinguishing it from other growth strategies such as phanerophytes, chamaephytes, cryptophytes, or therophytes. This biological strategy allows the plant to survive unfavorable seasonal conditions by maintaining its regenerative structures at the ground level, facilitating its perennial nature and ability to re-emerge during favorable growing seasons.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Mentha cervina is characterized by its growth form as a herb, exhibiting a non-woody structure throughout its development. As a terrestrial species, it grows directly in the soil rather than as an epiphyte, maintaining an independent lifestyle without acting as a parasite on other organisms. Although it possesses a self-supporting habit, it does not require external structures for stability, functioning as a self-supporting herb within its ecological niche.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Mentha cervina has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant.

Antioxidant

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Mentha cervina has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Candida albicans.

Candida albicans

1. BioMed research international

Preparations

Mentha cervina has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include EOs.

Eos

1. BioMed research international