horehound

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• horehound
• mintbush
• mintweed
• pignut
• wild spikenard
• American Mint
• Hyptis
• Wide Spikenard

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bystropogon suaveolens
• Hyptis suaveolens
• Bystropogon graveolens
• Hyptis plumieri
• Hyptis graveolens
• Hyptis congesta
• Gnoteris villosa
• Schaueria graveolens

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is ordered under Lamiales and placed in the family Lamiaceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Mesosphaerum, which includes the species Mesosphaerum suaveolens.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Mesocephaleum suaveolens, is primarily distributed across the West Tropical Africa region. Within this expansive geographical area, it can be found growing in the nation of Benin. The species also inhabits various territories in Burkina and The Gambia. Furthermore, its presence extends into the coastal and inland landscapes of Ghana. Finally, the plant's natural range includes the country of Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Mesosphaerum suaveolenis is characterized by a broad vertical distribution across diverse landscapes, spanning an elevational range from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum of 1600 m AMSL. While specific specialized habitat classifications are not currently detailed, its ability to thrive across such a significant altitudinal gradient suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, allowing it to inhabit various environmental conditions found between coastal lowlands and mid-elevation montane zones.

Elevational range max:

1600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

-

Genetics

The genetics of Mesosphaerum suaveolens are characterized by a notable degree of chromosomal variation within its populations. Cytogenetic analysis reveals that the species exhibits a polyploid or aneuploid nature, as evidenced by fluctuating chromosome numbers. Specifically, the chromosome number for this plant is recorded as 28, 30, or 32, indicating a complex genomic structure that may contribute to its evolutionary adaptability and phenotypic plasticity.

Chromosome number :

28, 30, 32

Life history

The life history of Mesosphaerum suaveolens is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. In terms of its structural growth habit, it is classified as a therophyte, a life form where the plant survives unfavorable seasons as ephemeral seeds, rapidly producing a complete vegetative structure once conditions become favorable. This classification as a therophyte remains consistent across its morphological categorization, defining its strategy of avoiding environmental stress through a rapid, seasonal life cycle.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Mesosphaerum suaveolens is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. This plant is a self-supporting species, lacking the climbing habits of lianas or vines, and it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite. It is a terrestrial species, not categorized as aquatic or epiphytic. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variation in height, ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 3 m, with an average plant height of approximately 1.45 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3 m

Plant height mean:

1.45 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Meso spheresium suaveolens is characterized by specific morphological dimensions of its foliage and its metabolic relationship with soil nutrients. The leaves exhibit significant variability in size, with individual lengths ranging from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 10 cm. In terms of lateral expansion, the leaf width varies between a minimum of 2 cm and a maximum of 6 cm, defining the overall surface area available for photosynthetic activity. Regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, relying instead on the uptake of available nitrogen from the substrate.

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

6 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Mesosphaerum suaveolens is characterized by the production of small fruits, which typically measure between a minimum of 0.12 cm and a maximum of 0.15 cm in length. Within these fruits, the seeds exhibit a specific range of mass, with the smallest recorded seed weighing 0.00108 g and the largest reaching up to 0.0074 g, resulting in an average seed mass of approximately 0.004285714 g. The dispersal of these seeds follows a zoochorous syndrome, indicating that the plant relies on animals for the distribution of its offspring across the environment.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit length max:

0.15 cm

Fruit length min:

0.12 cm

Seed mass max:

0.0074 g

Seed mass mean:

0.004285714 g

Seed mass min:

0.00108 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

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

Leaf

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Stem

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Chemicals

Mesosphaerum suaveolens has 64 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1,8-Cineole, Bicyclogermacrene, LIMONENE, SABINENE, caffeic acid.

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry
3. Acta tropica

Bicyclogermacrene

1. Acta tropica
2. Environmental science and pollution research international

LIMONENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry

SABINENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry

caffeic acid

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

quercetin

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

(E)-Caryophyllene

1. Acta tropica

(E)-beta-ocimene

1. Dr. Duke

(Z)-BETA-OCIMENE

1. Dr. Duke

2,5-Dimethyl-3-methylene-1,5-heptadiene

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Mesosphaerum suaveolens has 233 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, (-)-Chronotropic, (-)-Inotropic, ACE-Inhibitor, AChE-Inhibitor.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AChE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allelopathic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Mesosphaerum suaveolens has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Candida.

Candida

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Mesosphaerum suaveolens has 18 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, hexane extract, Aqueous extracts, Essential Oils, Hyptis suaveolens extract.

Essential oils

1. Phytochemistry
2. Acta tropica
3. Environmental science and pollution research international

Hexane extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Parasitology research

Aqueous extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Essential oils

1. Infection and drug resistance

Hyptis suaveolens extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Aerial parts (aeapms)

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Aqueous extracts of leaves (aelms)

1. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)

Chloroform extract

1. Parasitology research

Crude drug

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Crude extract preparations

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology