Mentha
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2008-07-07T14:09:11Z
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/* Culinary */ link liqueur
{{Taxobox
| name = ''Mentha''
| image = Mentha longifolia 2005.08.02 09.53.56.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Mentha longifolia''
| regnum = [[Plantae]]
| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Lamiales]]
| familia = [[Lamiaceae]]
| genus = '''''Mentha'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
}}
'''''Mentha''''' ('''mint''') is a [[genus]] of about 25 [[species]] (and many hundreds of [[Variety (botany)|varieties]]<ref name="OxfordCompanion">{{cite book |last=Davidson |first=Alan |authorlink=Alan_Davidson_%28food_writer%29 |title=The Oxford Companion to Food |year=1999 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-211579-0 |pages=508}}</ref>) of [[flowering plant]]s in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Lamiaceae]] (Mint Family). Species within Mentha have a [[cosmopolitan distribution|subcosmopolitan]] distribution across [[Europe]], [[Africa]], [[Asia]],<ref name="azEncycloPlants">{{cite book |last=Brickell |first=Christopher |authorlink=Christopher Brickell |coauthors=[[Judith D. Zuk|Zuk, Judith D.]] |title=The American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants |year=1997 |publisher=DK Publishing, Inc. |location=New York, NY, USA |isbn=0-7894-1943-2 |pages=668}}</ref> [[Australia]], and [[North America]]. Several mint [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]s commonly occur.
Mints are aromatic, almost exclusively [[perennial plant|perennial]], rarely [[annual plant|annual]], [[herb]]s. They have wide-spreading underground [[rhizome]]s and erect, branched stems. The [[leaf|leaves]] are arranged in opposite pairs, from simple [[leaf shape|oblong]] to [[leaf shape|lanceolate]], often downy, and with a serrated margin. Leaf colors range from dark green and gray-green to purple, blue and sometimes pale yellow.<ref name="azEncycloPlants"/> The [[flower]]s are produced in clusters ('verticils') on an erect spike, white to purple, the corolla two-lipped with four subequal lobes, the upper lobe usually the largest. The [[fruit]] is a small dry [[capsule (fruit)|capsule]] containing one to four [[seed]]s.
While the species that make up the Mentha genus are widely distributed and can be found in many environments, many grow best in wet environments and moist soils. Mints will grow 10–120 cm tall and can spread over an indeterminate sized area. Due to the tendency to spread unchecked, mints are considered [[invasive plant|invasive]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Brickell |first=Christopher |authorlink=Christopher Brickell |coauthors=Trevor Cole |title=The American Horticultural Society: Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers |year=2002 |publisher=DK Publishing, Inc. |location=New York, NY, USA |isbn=0-7894-8993-7 |pages=605}}</ref>
== Species ==
This covers a selection of what are considered to be pure species of mints. As with all classifications of plants, this list can go out of date at a moment's notice. Listed here are accepted species names and common names (where available). Synonyms, along with [[cultivars]] and varieties (where available), are listed under the species.
{|
|- valign=top
|
*''[[Mentha aquatica]]'' – [[Water mint]], or Marsh mint
*''[[Mentha arvensis]]'' – Corn Mint, Wild Mint, Japanese Peppermint, Field Mint, Pudina (पुदिना in [[Hindi]])
*''[[Mentha asiatica]]'' - Asian Mint
*''[[Mentha australis]]'' - Australian mint
*''[[Mentha canadensis]]''
*''[[Mentha cervina]]'' - Hart's Pennyroyal
*''[[Mentha citrata]]'' – [[Mentha citrata|Bergamot mint]]
*''[[Mentha crispata]]'' - Wrinkled-leaf mint
*''[[Mentha cunninghamia]]''
*''[[Mentha dahurica]]'' - Dahurian Thyme
*''[[Mentha diemenica]]'' - Slender mint
*''[[Mentha gattefossei]]''
*''[[Mentha grandiflora]]''
|
*''[[Mentha haplocalyx]]''
*''[[Mentha japonica]]''
*''[[Mentha kopetdaghensis]]''
*''[[Mentha laxiflora]]'' - Forest mint
*''[[Mentha longifolia]]'' - [[Mentha sylvestris]], Horse Mint
*''[[Mentha pulegium]]'' – [[Pennyroyal]]
*''[[Mentha requienii]]'' – [[Corsican mint]]
*''[[Mentha sachalinensis]]'' - Garden mint
*''[[Mentha satureioides]]'' - Native Pennyroyal
*''[[Mentha spicata]]'' – ''M. cordifolia'', [[Spearmint]], Curly mint
*''[[Mentha suaveolens]]'' – [[Apple mint]], [[Pineapple mint]] (a variegated cultivar of Apple mint)
*''[[Mentha vagans]]'' - Gray mint
|}
==Selected hybrids==
The mint family has a large grouping of recognized hybrids. As with all classifications of plants, this list can go out of date at a moment's notice. Synonyms, along with cultivars and varieties where available, are included within the specific species.
{|
|- valign=top
|
*''[[Mentha × gracilis]]'' - [[Ginger Mint]]
*''[[Mentha × piperita]]'' – [[Peppermint]]
*''Mentha × rotundifolia'' (''M. longifolia'' × ''M. suaveolens'') - False Apple-mint
*''Mentha × smithiana'' (''M. aquatica'' × ''M. arvensis'' × ''M. spicata'') - Red Raripila Mint
*''Mentha × villosa'' (''M. spicata'' × ''M. suaveolens'') - Also called ''Mentha nemorosa'', large apple mint, foxtail mint, hairy mint, woolly mint, Cuban mint, mojito mint, and is known as ''Yerba Buena'' in Cuba.
*''Mentha × villosonervata'' (''M. longifolia'' × ''M. spicata'') - Sharp-toothed Mint
|}
==Cultivation==
[[Image:Mentha gracilis and rotundifolia MN 2007.JPG|thumb|''Mentha x gracilis'' and ''M. rotundifolia''. The steel ring is to control the spread of the plant.]]
All mints prefer, and thrive, in cool, moist spots in partial shade.<ref name="Rodale">{{cite book |last=Bradley |first=Fern |authorlink=Fern Marshall Bradley |title=Rodale's All-new Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening |year=1992 |publisher=Rodale Press |location=Emmaus, Pennsylvania, USA |isbn=0-87857-999-0 |pages=390}}</ref> In general, mints tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun.
They are fast growing, extending their reach along surfaces through a network of [[rhizome|runners]]. Due to their speedy growth, one plant of each desired mint, along with a little care, will provide more than enough mint for home use. Some mint species are more [[Invasive plants|invasive]] than others. Even with the less invasive mints, care should be taken when mixing any mint with any other plants, lest the mint take over. To control mints in an open environment, mints should be planted in deep, bottomless containers sunk in the ground, or planted above ground in tubs and barrels.<ref name="Rodale" />
Some mints can be propagated by seed. Growth from seed can be an unreliable method for raising mint for two reasons: mint seeds are highly variable, one might not end up with what one presupposed was planted<ref name="Rodale" />; some mint varieties are sterile. It is more effective to take and plant cuttings from the runners of healthy mints.
The most common and popular mints for cultivation are [[peppermint]] (''Mentha × piperita''), [[spearmint]] (''Mentha spicata''), and (more recently) [[apple mint]] (''Mentha suaveolens'').
Mints are supposed to make good [[companion plant]]s, repelling pest insects and attracting beneficial ones.
Harvesting of mint leaves can be done at anytime. Fresh mint leaves should be used immediately or stored up to a couple of days in plastic bags within a refrigerator. Optionally, mint can be frozen in ice cube trays. Dried mint leaves should be stored in an airtight container placed in a cool, dark, dry area.<ref name="HerbsSpicesFlavorings">{{cite book |last=Ortiz |first=Elisabeth |authorlink=Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz |title=The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices & Flavorings |year=1992 |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |location=London |isbn=1-56458-065-2 |pages=36-37}}</ref>
==Uses==
===Culinary===
{{Cleanup|date=June 2008}}
[[Image:Mintjelly.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A jar of mint jelly. Mint jelly is a traditional condiment served with lamb dishes.]]
The leaf, fresh or dried, is the culinary source of mint. Fresh mint is usually preferred over dried mint when storage of the mint is not a problem. The leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste. Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams. In Middle Eastern cuisine mint is used on lamb dishes. In British cuisine, mint sauce is popular with lamb.
Mint is a necessary ingredient in [[Touareg tea]], a popular tea in northern African and Arab countries.
Alcoholic drinks sometimes feature flavor of mint, namely the [[Mint Julep]] and the [[Mojito]]. [[Crème de menthe]] is a mint-flavored [[liqueur]] used in drinks such as the [[Grasshopper (cocktail)|grasshopper]].
Mint [[essential oil]] and [[menthol]] are extensively used as flavorings in breath fresheners, drinks, [[antiseptic mouth rinse]]s, [[toothpaste]], [[chewing gum]], [[dessert]]s, and [[candy|candies]]; ''see'' [[mint (candy)]] and [[mint chocolate]]. The substances that give the mints their characteristic aromas and flavors are
menthol (the main aroma of [[Peppermint]], and [[Mentha arvensis|Japanese Peppermint]]) and
[[pulegone]] (in [[Pennyroyal]] and [[Mentha requienii|Corsican Mint]]). The compound primarily responsible for the aroma and flavor of spearmint is ''R''-[[carvone]].
[[Methyl salicylate]], commonly called "oil of wintergreen", is often used as a mint flavoring for foods and candies due to its mint-like flavor.
Mints are used as food plants by the larvae of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[Buff Ermine]].
===Medicinal and cosmetic===
Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat [[Abdominal pain|stomach ache]] and [[chest pain]]s. To cure stomach aches, put dried mint leaves in boiling water, then, when it cools drink it. This tea is called monstranzo. During the [[Middle Ages]], powdered mint leaves were used to whiten [[Tooth|teeth]]. Mint tea is a strong [[diuretic]]. Mint also aids [[digestion]].
[[Menthol]] from mint essential oil (40-90%) is an ingredient of many [[cosmetics]] and some [[perfume]]s. Menthol and mint essential oil are also much used in medicine as a component of many drugs, and are very popular in [[aromatherapy]].
A common use is as an [[antipruritic]], especially in insect bite treatments (often along with [[camphor]]).
Menthol is also used in cigarettes as an additive, because it blocks out the bitter taste of tobacco and soothes the throat.{{Fact|date=June 2007}}
Many people also believe the strong, sharp flavor and scent of Mint can be used as a mild [[decongestant]] for illnesses such as the [[common cold]].
In Rome, [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]] recommended that a wreath of mint was a good thing for students to wear since it was thought to "exhilarate their minds". Some modern research suggests that he was right.{{Fact|date=October 2007}}
===Insecticides===
Mint leaves are often used by many campers to repel [[mosquito]]es. It is also said that extracts from mint leaves have a particular mosquito-killing capability.
Mint oil is also used as an environmentally-friendly [[insecticide]] for its ability to kill some common pests like wasps, hornets, ants and cockroaches.
==Diseases==
{{Main|List of mint diseases}}
==Origin and usage of the word ''mint''==
[[Image:Mint-leaves-2007.jpg|thumb|Mint leaves]]
Mint descends from the [[Latin language|Latin]] word ''mentha'', which is rooted in the [[Greek language|Greek]] word ''minthe'', mentioned in [[Greek mythology]] as [[Minthe]], a nymph who was transformed into a mint plant. The word itself probably derives from a now extinct pre-Greek language, see [[Pre-Greek substrate]]. <ref>{{cite book |last=Quattrocchi |first=Umberto |authorlink=Umberto Quattrocchi |title=CRC World dictionary of plant names: Common names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Sonyonyms, and Etymology |volume=III M-Q |year=1947- |publisher=CRC Press |pages=1658}}</ref>
Mint leaves, without a qualifier like ''peppermint'' or ''apple mint'', generally refers to [[spearmint]] leaves.
In [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]], mint is known as ''[[Yerba Buena|hierbabuena]]'' (literally, "good herb"). In [[Lusophone]] countries, especially in [[Brazil]], mint species are popularly known as "[[Hortelã]]". In the [[Hindi]] and [[Urdu]] languages it is called ''Pudeena''.
The taxonomic family Lamiaceae is known as the ''mint family''. It includes many other aromatic herbs, including most of the more common cooking herbs, including [[basil]], [[rosemary]], [[Common sage|sage]], [[oregano]] and [[catnip]].
As an English colloquial term, any small mint-flavored confectionery item can be called a [[mint (candy)|mint]].<ref name="OxfordCompanion" />
In common usage, several other plants with fragrant leaves may be erroneously called a mint. [[Vietnamese Coriander|Vietnamese Mint]], commonly used in [[Southeast Asia]]n cuisine, is not a member of the '''mint family''' (taxonomic family Lamiaceae).
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commonscat|Mentha}}
*[http://les-tisanes.chez-alice.fr Herb teas and old remedies: Mentha] (fr. with translator)
*[http://www.crnindia.com/commodity/menthaoil.html Mentha/Mentha oil as a commodity traded in India]
*[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?7464 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Mentha'']
*[http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Mentha&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK=species Flora Europaea: ''Mentha'']
*[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=120248 Flora of China: ''Mentha'']
*[http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Mentha Medicinal use of mint in Armenia]
*[http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MENTH United States Department of Agriculture (Online Reference)]
*[http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mints-39.html Botanical.com entry on Mint]
*[http://www.pfaf.org/database/search_name.php?ALLNAMES=Mentha Plants For a Future: Mentha genus search page]
{{Herbs & spices}}
[[Category:Lamiaceae]]
[[Category:Mentha| ]]
[[Category:Herbs]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[ang:Minte]]
[[ar:نعناع]]
[[bs:Metvica]]
[[br:Bent]]
[[bg:Мента]]
[[ca:Menta]]
[[cy:Mintys]]
[[da:Mynte]]
[[de:Minzen]]
[[el:Μέντα]]
[[es:Mentha]]
[[eo:Mento]]
[[fr:Menthe]]
[[gl:Menta]]
[[hr:Metvica]]
[[id:Mentha]]
[[os:Битъына]]
[[is:Minta]]
[[it:Mentha]]
[[he:נענע]]
[[ka:პიტნა]]
[[ht:Mant]]
[[lt:Mėta]]
[[ml:കര്പ്പൂരതുളസി]]
[[nl:Munt (plant)]]
[[ja:ミント]]
[[no:Mynte]]
[[pl:Mięta]]
[[pt:Mentha]]
[[ro:Mentă]]
[[ru:Мята]]
[[sr:Нана]]
[[fi:Mintut]]
[[sv:Myntor]]
[[tr:Nane]]
[[uk:М'ята]]
[[yi:מענטא]]
[[zh:薄荷]]