''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Europe, Asia and America. ''Calamintha'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

e of some '' Lepidoptera'' species including '' Coleophora albitarsella''.

Species

*''

Calamintha ashei ''Clinopodium ashei'' ( syn. ''Calamintha ashei'') is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names Ashe's savory and Ashe's calamint. It is native to Florida and Georgia in the United States.Calamintha baumgarteni ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'' *'' Calamintha caerulescens'' *''

Calamintha coccinea ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'' *''

Calamintha dentata ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'' *''

Calamintha grandiflora ''Calamintha grandiflora'', the large-flowered calamint, showy calamint or mint savory, is a species of ornamental plant. Distribution It grows in certain mountains of western and southern Europa (Massif central, Alps, Pyrénées,...) above 70 ...

'' - large-flowered calamint, an

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

. *''

Calamintha incana ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'' *''

Calamintha nepeta ''Clinopodium nepeta'' (synonym ''Calamintha nepeta''), known as lesser calamint, is a perennial herb of the mint family. Description Lesser calamint is a perennial shrub, forming a compact mound of shiny, green oregano-like leaves. The flower ...

'' **'' Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta'' *''

Calamintha sylvatica ''Clinopodium menthifolium'', commonly known as the wood calamint or woodland calamint, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is found throughout southern and central Europe from the United Kingdom and east as far as t ...

'' - common calamint, a low-growing plant with a minty smell and lavender flowers. It prefers alkaline

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debri ...

. The leaves can be used to make tea.

Moved to genus Acinos

*'' Acinos alpinus'' (formerly ''

Calamintha alpina ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'') - the alpine calamint *''

Acinos arvensis ''Acinos arvensis'', known commonly as basil thyme and spring savory, is a species of plant of the genus ''Acinos''. It is a perennial that usually grows about high and spreads . It prefers to grow in strong sunlight. The scent is faintly remin ...

'' (formerly ''

Calamintha acinos ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'') - also called basil thyme *''

Acinos rotundifolius ''Acinos'' is a genus of ten species of annual and short-lived evergreen perennial woody plants native to southern Europe and western Asia. Its name comes from the Greek word ', the name of a small aromatic plant. They are small, tufted, bushy ...

'' (formerly ''

Calamintha exigua ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'' and ''

Calamintha graveolens ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'')

Moved to genus Clinopodium

*''

Clinopodium chinense ''Clinopodium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. It is in the tribe Mentheae of the subfamily Nepetoideae, but little else can be said with certainty about its phylogenetic position. The genus name ''Clinopodium'' is d ...

'' (formerly ''

Calamintha chinensis ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'') *'' Clinopodium nepeta'' (formerly ''

'' or '' Calamintha officinalis'') - lesser calamint *'' Clinopodium umbrosum'' (formerly '' Calamintha umbrosa'') *''

Clinopodium vulgare ''Clinopodium vulgare'', the wild basil, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. Description Wild basil is a perennial rhizomatous herb with square, upright, hairy stems and opposite pairs of leaves. The leaves are hairy, ovate ...

'' (formerly '' Calamintha vulgaris'' or '' Calamintha clinopodium'') - the wild basil

Uses

''Calamintha'' species are used in the popular Middle Eastern culinary blend called

za'atar Za'atar ( ; ar, زَعْتَر, ) is a culinary herb or family of herbs. It is also the name of a spice mixture that includes the herb along with toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, often salt, as well as other spices. As a family of rela ...

. Za'atar is a general name for any Middle Eastern herb from the genera ''

Origanum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in s ...

'' (oregano), ''Calamintha'' (calamint), ''

Thymus The thymus is a specialized primary lymphoid organ of the immune system. Within the thymus, thymus cell lymphocytes or ''T cells'' mature. T cells are critical to the adaptive immune system, where the body adapts to specific foreign invaders. ...

'' (thyme) and ''

Satureja ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included ...

'' (savory). It is also the name for a

condiment A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to impart a specific flavor, to enhance the flavor, or to complement the dish. A table condiment or table sauce is more specifically a condiment that is served separat ...

made from the dried herb(s), mixed together with sesame seeds, dried

sumac Sumac ( or ), also spelled sumach, is any of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus ''Rhus'' and related genera in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae). Sumacs grow in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, including Eas ...

, often salt, and other spices. According to Nissim Krispil, an ethno-botanist and folklore researcher, ''Calamintha incana'' infusions aid the birthing women (and those with uterus problems).

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q820063 Lamiaceae Lamiaceae genera Taxa named by Philip Miller