Mentha × villosa Huds., 1778

🇫🇷 Menthe velue

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
Hybrid: Mentha × villosa

Presence

Present.

Notes

Hybrid of M. spicata L., 1753 × M. suaveolens Ehrh., 1792. Triploid (2n = 36).

The individual below was found among mixed plants of M. suaveolens and M. spicata escaped from cultivation. The leaves have the same texture as those of M. spicata, but the shape is broader, more ovate, like M. suaveolens.

This naturally occurring hybrid is marketed under the name ‘Mojito Mint’, and is used in the preparation of the mojito cocktail.

Photographs

img/mentha-villosa.webp — *Mentha × villosa*

img/mentha-villosa-2.webp — *Mentha × villosa*

Sources

Lawrence, B.M. (2006). Mint: the Genus Mentha (p. 33). CRC Press.
Tison, J.M., & de Foucault, B. (2014). Flora Gallica : Flore de France (p. 803). Biotope.