pennyroyal

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• European pennyroyal
• pennyroyal

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Calamintha fenzlii
• Minthe pulegia
• Pulegium daghestanicum
• Satureja fenzlii
• Mentha pulegium var. exigua
• Micromeria fenzlii
• Mentha tomentella
• Pulegium aromaticum var. album
• Pulegium aromaticum var. erectum
• Pulegium tomentellum
• Mentha hirtiflora
• Mentha pulegium f. sphenoides
• Mentha pulegioides
• Pulegium erectum
• Mentha pulegium f. foetida
• Mentha pulegium f. strongylophylla
• Mentha pulegium f. alba
• Pulegium micranthum
• Mentha pulegium f. macrostylos
• Mentha pulegium f. albiflora
• Pulegium aromaticum
• Mentha gryparia
• Mentha pulegium var. thymoides
• Mentha pulegium f. cephalonia
• Mentha pulegium var. subhirsuta
• Mentha pulegium var. tomentella
• Mentha pulegium subsp. cephalonia
• Mentha pulegium subsp. erinoides
• Mentha pulegium var. cacocea
• Mentha pulegium var. hyperiantha
• Mentha montana
• Mentha pulegium f. brusanensis
• Mentha subtomentella var. microphylla
• Pulegium vulgare
• Mentha numidica
• Mentha pulegium f. anodonta
• Mentha subtomentella var. humillima
• Mentha pulegium f. communis
• Mentha pulegium f. stenobasea
• Mentha gibraltarica
• Mentha pulegium f. setuligera
• Mentha tomentosa var. villosa
• Mentha pulegium f. hellenica
• Mentha pulegium f. cermatisa
• Mentha pulegium var. cotorensis
• Mentha subtomentella
• Mentha pulegium var. microphylla
• Mentha erinoides
• Mentha pulegium var. pubescens
• Mentha pulegium var. subtomentella
• Mentha daghestanica
• Mentha pulegium var. strongylophylla
• Mentha aucheri
• Mentha pulegium var. villosa
• Mentha subtomentella var. ceplaloniae
• Pulegium vulgare f. hirsutum
• Mentha albarracinensis
• Pulegium vulgare f. incanum
• Pulegium vulgare f. linearifolium
• Melissa pulegium
• Pulegium vulgare f. serratum
• Pulegium vulgare f. algeriense
• Mentha pulegium var. eriantha
• Pulegium tomentellum f. erianthum
• Thymus bidentatus
• Pulegium tomentellum f. ninimum
• Mentha pulegium var. prostrata
• Mentha pulegium subsp. tomentosa
• Mentha pulegium subvar. prostrata
• Mentha pulegium var. erecta
• Mentha pulegium subsp. vulgaris
• Mentha pulegium var. gigantea
• Mentha pulegium subsp. gibraltarica
• Mentha pulegium var. vulgaris
• Micromeria maritima
• Pulegium vulgare f. nummulariuoides
• Mentha pulegium var. humifusa
• Mentha pulegium var. hirsuta
• Mentha pulegium var. hirtiflora
• Mentha pulegium var. heterophylla
• Mentha pulegium var. gibraltarica
• Mentha pulegium var. pulegioides

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 family Lamiaceae, it is classified under the genus Mentha.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread presence across several key regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Its distribution continues into Middle Europe, where it is established in Austria. The species is also documented within the borders of Belgium. Finally, its geographical range extends through the territories of Czechia and Slovakia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Mentha pulegium is characterized by a broad adaptability to various environments, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 2900 m AMSL. It is frequently found in anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), where human activities and land use influence its distribution and growth patterns. This expansive elevational range, spanning from 0 m AMSL to 2900 m AMSL, allows the species to inhabit diverse climatic zones and topographical gradients.

Elevational range max:

2900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Mentha pulegium are characterized by a complex and highly variable karyotypic structure, reflecting the evolutionary history of polyploidy within the Lamiaceae family. A defining feature of its genomic landscape is the significant fluctuation in chromosome numbers observed across different populations and accessions. Specifically, the chromosome number is not fixed but can manifest in various states, including 10, 20, 30, 40, 42, and 46. This wide range of chromosomal counts suggests that the species undergoes frequent polyploidization events and genome doubling, which contribute to its genetic diversity and adaptability. Such chromosomal plasticity is a hallmark of the genus Mentha, where varying ploidy levels influence the plant's morphological traits and its ability to thrive in diverse ecological niches.

Chromosome number :

10, 20, 30, 40, 42, 46

Life history

The life history of Mentha pulegium is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its regenerative buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or soil during unfavorable conditions. This species exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage as it transitions through its seasonal cycles.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Mentha pulgeium is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. It functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic tendencies, and is a terrestrial species rather than an aquatic or epiphytic one. The plant is self-supporting, exhibiting an ascending shoot orientation without the need for climbing structures like lianas or vines. In terms of dimensions, the plant height typically ranges from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.7 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.175 m. Furthermore, the shoot length of the specimen varies between a minimum of 15 cm and a maximum of 30 cm.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.7 m

Plant height mean:

0.175 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Shoot length max:

30 cm

Shoot length min:

15 cm

Shoot orientation :

ascending

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Mentha pulgeium is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a carbon fixation process optimized for temperate environments. The plant is non-carnivorous and does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on soil nutrient uptake. Its leaf morphology plays a critical role in its physiological efficiency, featuring an elliptic form with a mean leaf size of approximately 1.9827 cm². The dimensions of the leaves vary significantly, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.8 cm to a maximum of 3 cm, while the width fluctuates between 0.04 cm and 1.5 cm, maintaining a mean width of 0.7 cm. Furthermore, the plant exhibits a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 311.3 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass distribution and its adaptive strategy for light interception and gas exchange.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

3 cm

Leaf length min:

0.8 cm

Leaf size mean:

1.9827 cm²

Leaf width max:

1.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.7 cm

Leaf width min:

0.04 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

311.3 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Mentha puligena is characterized by a sexual process through bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being absent. The flowering period typically begins in August and concludes in September, producing pink-colored flowers that range in length from 0.5 cm to 0.6 cm. These flowers rely on biotic pollination, specifically utilizing insects such as bees to facilitate fertilization, as self-fertilization is noted to be absent. Following pollination, the plant develops dry, indehiscent fruits known as achenes. These fruits are quite small, with a mean length of 0.1 cm (ranging from 0.07 cm to 0.08 cm). Each fruit contains a substantial number of seeds, typically between 101 and 1000. The seeds themselves are minute, maintaining a consistent mean length, width, and volume of 0.5 mm, 0.5 mm, and 0.07 mm³ respectively. The seed mass is extremely low, with a mean of approximately 8.3567e-05 g, ranging from a minimum of 3.1e-05 g to a maximum of 1e-04 g. Dispersal of the seeds is achieved through a hydrochorous syndrome, meaning they are primarily dispersed by water.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flower length max:

0.6 cm

Flower length min:

0.5 cm

Flowering time :

Aug

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

0.08 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.1 cm

Fruit length min:

0.07 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

0.5 mm

Seed mass max:

1e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

8.35666666666667e-05 g

Seed mass min:

3.1e-05 g

Seed volume max:

0.07 mm³

Seed width mean:

0.5 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Mentha pulegium has 3 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, stem, flower.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
3. Advanced pharmaceutical bulletin

Stem

1. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
2. Journal of natural products

Flower

1. Advanced pharmaceutical bulletin

Chemicals

Mentha pulegium has 179 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Pulegone, Flavonoids, CARVACROL, MENTHOL, MENTHONE.

Pulegone

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
4. Chemistry & biodiversity
5. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics

Flavonoids

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Natural product communications

CARVACROL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current molecular pharmacology
3. Biofouling

MENTHOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
3. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

MENTHONE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)
3. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Piperitenone

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
3. Chemistry & biodiversity

hesperidin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

rosmarinic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
3. Frontiers in pharmacology

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

CARVONE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Activities

Mentha pulegium has 517 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Cytotoxic, Anticancer, Anticonvulsant.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ovarian research
4. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
5. Scientific reports

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Scientific reports
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Anticonvulsant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Antifungal

1. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
2. Scientific reports

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Antimicrobial

1. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
2. Frontiers in microbiology

Antiproliferative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Medicinal Uses

Mentha pulegium has 17 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Alzheimer disease, belching, constipation, cough, fever.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations