Mentha aquatica var. citrata (Ehrh.) Hartm., 1832
🇬🇧 Basil Mint, Bergamot Mint, Orange Mint
🇫🇷 Menthe basilic, Menthe bergamote, Menthe orange
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophytes
- Clade: Angiosperms
- Clade: Eudicots
- Clade: Superasterids
- Clade: Asterids
- Clade: Lamiids
- Order: Lamiales
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Subfamily: Nepetoideae
- Tribe: Mentheae
- Subtribe: Menthinae
- Genus: Mentha
- Species: Mentha aquatica var. citrata
Presence
Present.
Notes
Octaploid (2n = 96).
Variety with glabrous leaves, containing high concentration of linalool and linalyl acetate (Murray & Lincoln, 1970; Lawrence, 2006).
Some authors previously treated this taxon as a particular form of the hybrid M. × piperita L., 1753, probably because of the strong resemblance of the leaves with those of the latter. This variety is still mistakenly marketed under the names Mentha × piperita f. citrata (sic) or M. citrata Ehrh., 1792.
The cultivated plants used for production of ‘Bergamot Mint’ essential oils are essentally male-sterile, female-fertile clones. However, naturally occurring individuals may be fully fertile (Murray & Lincoln, 1970).
Photographs
Sources
Lawrence, B.M. (2006). Mint: the Genus Mentha (p. 16). CRC Press.
Murray, M.J., & Lincoln, D.E. (1970). THE GENETIC BASIS OF ACYCLIC OIL CONSTITUENTS IN MENTHA CITRATA EHRH. Genetics, 65(3), 457-471. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/65.3.457