''Pycnanthemum'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are native to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. The center of diversity for the genus is North Carolina with 13 of the 20 species having been collected therein. Nineteen of the 20 species of ''Pycnanthemum'' occur in the Eastern US and Canada, and one disjunct species ('' P. californicum'') occurs in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

and

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. ''Pycnanthemum'' belongs to the true mint subtribe (Menthinae), and it has been shown to be closely related to the '' Monarda'', '' Blephilia'', and the scrub mints of the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

. Relationships within the genus remain unresolved. A complicated history of

polyploidization Speciation is the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species. The biologist Orator F. Cook coined the term in 1906 for cladogenesis, the splitting of lineages, as opposed to anagenesis, phyletic evolution within ...

paired with cryptic morphologies makes this a challenging group for systematists.

Species

* ''

Pycnanthemum albescens ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – white-leaved mountainmint – south-central US * ''

Pycnanthemum beadlei ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia * ''

Pycnanthemum californicum ''Pycnanthemum californicum'' is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name Sierra mint, mountain mint, and California mint. Distribution The plant is endemic to California, where it is native to the Sierra Nevada, ...

'' Torr. ex Durand – Sierra mint – California * ''

Pycnanthemum clinopodioides ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' Torr. & A.Gray – mid-Atlantic States, Tennessee, Indiana * '' Pycnanthemum curvipes'' – southeastern US * ''

Pycnanthemum flexuosum ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – southeastern US * ''

Pycnanthemum floridanum ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – Florida mountainmint – Florida, southern Georgia * ''

Pycnanthemum incanum ''Pycnanthemum incanum'', with the common name hoary mountainmint, "mountain mint", wild basil or hoary basil, is a herbaceous perennial in the mint family. Distribution The plant is widespread across Eastern United States and into Ontario, Cana ...

'' – hoary mountainmint, hoary basil, wild basil – Ontario, most of US east of the Mississippi River * ''

Pycnanthemum loomisii ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – Loomis' mountainmint – southeastern US, Ohio Valley * †''

Pycnanthemum monotrichum ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' Fernald – Virginia but extinct * ''

Pycnanthemum montanum ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – southern Appalachians * ''

Pycnanthemum muticum ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – short-toothed mountainmint – much of eastern US from east Texas to southern Maine * ''

Pycnanthemum nudum ''Pycnanthemum nudum'' is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name Coastal Plain mountainmint. It is endemic to the Southeastern United States and has a limited range across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Ca ...

'' Nutt. – Coastal Plain mountainmint – southeastern US * ''

Pycnanthemum pilosum ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' ( = ''P. verticillatum'' var. ''pilosum'') – hairy mountainmint, whorled mountainmint * ''

Pycnanthemum pycnanthemoides ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – southern mountainmint – southeastern US, Ohio Valley * ''

Pycnanthemum setosum ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – awned mountainmint – southeastern + mid-Atlantic US * ''

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium ''Pycnanthemum tenuifolium'', the narrowleaf mountainmint, slender mountainmint, common horsemint or Virginia thyme, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to central and eastern North America. Description ...

'' – little-leaved mountainmint, slender-leaved mountainmint (= ''P. flexuosum'' ) – Quebec, Ontario, eastern + central US * ''

Pycnanthemum torreyi ''Pycnanthemum torreyi'', common name Torrey's mountainmint, is a perennial plant native to the United States. Conservation status in the United States It is listed as endangered in Connecticut,Pycnanthemum verticillatum ''Pycnanthemum'' is a genus of herbaceous plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Species in this genus are often referred to as "mountain mints" and they often have a minty or thyme-like aroma when crushed. All species of ''Pycnanthemum'' are ...

'' – whorled mountainmint – Quebec, Ontario, eastern + central US * ''

Pycnanthemum virginianum ''Pycnanthemum virginianum'', the Virginia or common mountain-mint, is a plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is a herbaceous plant with narrow, opposite, simple leaves, on wiry, green stems. The flowers are white with purplish spotting, borne ...

'' – Virginia mountainmint – Quebec, Ontario, eastern + central US Pycnanthemum curvipes (14698304290).jpg, '' Pycnanthemum curvipes'' Pycnanthemum flexuosum 1zz.jpg, ''

'' Pycnanthemum incanum UGA1120218.jpg, ''

'' Pycnanthemum muticum (14945847337).jpg, ''

'' Pycnanthemum tenuifolium kz1.jpg, ''

'' in bud Pycnanthemum-virginianum.JPG, ''

Footnotes

References

* (2007): Germplasm Resources Information Network &ndash
''Pycnanthemum''
Version of 2007-OCT-05. Retrieved 2011-FEB-18.

External links

Barbara Pleasant. The Herb Companion: Herb-To-Know: Mountain Mint.
* ttp://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/kings/pycnanthemum.html Henriette's Herbal Homepage: ''Pycnanthemum''. {{Taxonbar, from=Q2707696 Lamiaceae genera Flora of North America