Lamiaceae Flashcards
Lamiaceae
The mint family
Lamiaceae characteristics - plants
annual or perennial
herbs, shrubs, rarely small trees
QUADRANGULAR stems
AROMATIC
Lamiaceae characteristics - leaves
estipulate
OPPOSITE
simple to deeply lobed
SERRATE MARGINS
cymose
simple, determinate clusters of flowers
cyme
inflorescence in which the main axis and each branch end in a flower that opens before the flowers below or to the side of it, often repeating a pattern of threes.
cyme types
- simple cyme… \ | /
- compound cyme… ^this X2
- scorploid cyme… one-sided branching
Lamiaceae characteristics - calyx
fused sepals ribbed 5 toothed OCCASIONALLY ZYGOMORPHIC ** often dries stiff and sharp - assists with seed dispersal
Lamiaceae characteristics - flowers
stamens are epipetalous DIDYNAMOUS one pair may be reduced or aborted PISTIL PROMINENTLY 4 LOBED usually GYNOBASIC CLEFT APICALLY
gynobasic
style arises directly from the receptacle and appears to be inserted at the base of the ovary
OFTEN APICALLY BIFID
Lamiaceae characteristics - fruit
arise from the 4 DISTINCT OVARY LOBES
MOST MATURE INTO NUTLETS
Lamiaceae characteristics - seeds
solitary within the nutlets
Lamiaceae distribution / ecology
cosmopolitan
decline toward higher latitudes
found from deserts to mountains, mostly in fertile soil
Important Lamiaceae
spices / herbs
- basil, marjoram, oregano, sage, savory, rosemary, mint, lavender, bergamot, balm, peppermint, spearkmint, horehound, thyme
Lamiaceae ornamentals
Salvia, Clerodendrum, Lavandula, Coleus
