''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory ...

, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

, Ecuador, Peru and

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

to Central Argentina.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
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Use and conservation

The plants are valued by the local population for their content in essential oils, mostly pulegone and menthone, but also limonene, carvone,

carvacrol Carvacrol, or cymophenol, C6H3(CH3)(OH)C3H7, is a monoterpenoid phenol. It has a characteristic pungent, warm odor of oregano. Natural occurrence Carvacrol is present in the essential oil of ''Origanum vulgare'' (oregano), oil of thyme, oil ob ...

, thymol and similar substances. They are used as condiments, medicinally against illnesses of the respiratory and digestive systems, and traditionally for the protection of stored tubers against pests, especially in Southern Peru. In Argentina and Peru, the essential oils are extracted commercially on a larger scale, and at least locally, this has led to

overexploitation Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Continued overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource, as it will be unable to replenish. The term app ...

in recent years. Argentine researchers are looking for ways to protect ''Minthostachys'' or to take it into cultivation to meet increasing demand.Noticias Ambientales de la Provincia de Córdoba: Escasez de peperina, el yuyo cordobés
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Important species and common names

The best known species are ''

Minthostachys mollis ''Minthostachys mollis'' is a medicinal plant restricted to the South American Andes from Peru Venezuela to Bolivia. It is the most variable and widely distributed species of the genus ''Minthostachys''. It is known by the common names muña, tip ...

'' distributed from Venezuela to Bolivia and ''

Minthostachys verticillata ''Minthostachys verticillata'', commonly known as peperina, is the only species of the genus ''Minthostachys'' known from Argentina. It occurs in the northwestern and central regions of the country. It may be the most economically important spe ...

'' of Argentina. Many species have a relatively restricted distribution but are locally common, like ''

Minthostachys acutifolia ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' around La Paz and '' Minthostachys ovata'' in central Bolivia. The common names used by the people of the Andes usually do not differentiate between species, but vary by region. In Ecuador, the genus is called tipo or poleo, in northern Peru chancua, from central Peru to Bolivia muña, and in Argentina peperina is the most frequently used name.

Species

Currently recognized species # ''

Minthostachys acris ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' Schmidt-Leb. - Peru # ''

'' Epling - Bolivia # ''

Minthostachys andina ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' (Britton ex Rusby) Epling - La Paz region of Bolivia # ''

Minthostachys diffusa ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' Epling - La Paz region of Bolivia # ''

Minthostachys dimorpha ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' Schmidt-Leb. - Peru # ''

Minthostachys elongata ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' Schmidt-Leb. - Tarija region of Bolivia # ''

Minthostachys fusca ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' Schmidt-Leb. - La Paz region of Bolivia # ''

Minthostachys glabrescens ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' (Benth.) Epling - Ecuador # ''

Minthostachys latifolia ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' Schmidt-Leb. - Peru, Bolivia # ''

'' (Benth.) Griseb. - Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru # '' Minthostachys ovata'' (Briq.) Epling - Bolivia # ''

Minthostachys rubra ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' Schmidt-Leb. - Ecuador # ''

Minthostachys salicifolia ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' Epling - Peru # ''

Minthostachys septentrionalis ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' Schmidt-Leb. - Venezuela, Colombia # ''

Minthostachys setosa ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' (Briq.) Epling - Bolivia # ''

Minthostachys spicata ''Minthostachys'' is a genus of the mint family Lamiaceae, comprising aromatic scandent shrubs. It occurs along the Andes from Northern Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Central Argentina. Use and conservation The plants a ...

'' (Benth.) Epling - Ecuador, Peru # ''

'' (Griseb.) Epling - Argentina

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q289942 Lamiaceae Lamiaceae genera Flora of South America