Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Lamiales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (2/10/25):
Mentha aquatica var. aquatica
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Mentha at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Mentha aquatica
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Mentha aquatica
SYNONYMOUS WITH Britton & Brown Illus Flora of Northeast US & adjacent Canada (Gleason, 1952)
Mentha aquatica
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Mentha aquatica
COMMON NAME:
Water Mint, Lemon Mint
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_meaq_001_pvd
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JK Marlow jkm250812_2109
August Greenville County SC
Furman University, in cultivation
The inflorescence is terminal, with 1-3 closely-spaced rounded clusters of densely-packed flowers, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
)
JK Marlow jkm250812_2111
August Greenville County SC
Furman University, in cultivation
)
JK Marlow jkm250812_2113
August Greenville County SC
Furman University, in cultivation
Pedicels, calyx, and leaves pubescent, per Weakley's Flora (2025).
)
JK Marlow jkm250812_2114
August Greenville County SC
Furman University, in cultivation
Similar to M. arvensis but stem leaves larger and more ovate, and inflorescence is terminal, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (2/10/25):
Mentha aquatica var. aquatica
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Mentha aquatica
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Mentha aquatica
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Britton & Brown Illus Flora of Northeast US & adjacent Canada (Gleason, 1952)
Mentha aquatica
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Mentha aquatica
5024
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: Europe
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Opposite
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Lavender or pink
Almost radially symmetrical
5-toothed calyx
4-lobed corolla
4 exserted stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual
Inflorescence a terminal globose to ovoid head of 1-3 verticils
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Brown
Schizocarp of mericarps
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".