''Blephilia'', the pagoda plant or wood mint, is a genus of three species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the family Lamiaceae. They are all herbaceous plants native to eastern North America. ''Blephilia'' are most often found in open areas, glades, and mesic forests. All species of ''Blephilia'' are considered threatened or endangered in some states. The genus includes only

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

species that spread by both

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s and through stem division. Small white to purple-lavender flowers occur in inflorescences that cluster in the upper leaf axils, often in several circular layers (hence the common name ''pagoda-plant''). Leaves are generally lanceolate to ovate and vary in shades of green. Leaves are either petiolate or subsessile (depending on the species). Like many other members of the subtribe Menthinae, all parts of ''Blephilia'' are highly aromatic when crushed and have smells similar to menthol and spearmint.

Species

*'' Blephilia ciliata'' (L.) Benth. – downy pagoda-plant – widespread from Texas and Florida north to Quebec and Ontario *'' Blephilia hirsuta'' (Pursh) Benth. – hairy pagoda-plant – widespread from Texas and Georgia north to Quebec and Ontario *'' Blephilia subnuda'' Simmers & Kral – Cumberland pagoda-plant – endemic to northeastern Alabama

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3243610 Lamiaceae Lamiaceae genera Flora of the Eastern United States Flora of Canada