Mintbush facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Mintbush

Prostanthera althoferi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Subfamily:	Prostantheroideae
Genus:	*Prostanthera* Labill.
Species
See text
Synonyms
Cryphia R.Br. Eichlerago Carrick Klanderia F.Muell. Prostanthera sect. Euprostanthera Benth. nom. inval. Wrixonia F.Muell.

Prostanthera aspalathoides

Prostanthera campbellii

Prostanthera decussata

Prostanthera grylloana

Prostanthera hirtula

Prostanthera lasianthos

Prostanthera magnifica

Prostanthera stenophylla

Prostanthera striatiflora

Prostanthera walteri

Prostanthera, commonly known as mintbush or mint bush, is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants of the Lamiaceae, all of which are endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Prostanthera are usually shrubs, rarely trees with leaves in opposite pairs, flowers arranged in panicles in leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets, the sepals joined at the base with two lobes, the petals usually blue to purple or white, joined in a tube with two "lips", the lower lip with three lobes and the upper lip with two lobes or notched.

Description
Taxonomy
Ecology
Uses
Species list
See also

Description

Plants in the genus Prostanthera are usually shrubs or subshrubs, rarely trees, with leaves arranged in opposite pairs. The flowers are arranged in panicles in leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets with bracts and bracteoles at the base. The sepals are joined at the base but with two lobes. The petals form a tube with two lips, the lower lip with three, usually spreading lobes and the upper lip with two lobes or a notch at the tip. The petal tube is bluish purple to white or more or less red. There are four stamens, the anthers often with a small appendage. The ovary has four lobes and the tip of the stigma has two branches.

Taxonomy

The genus Prostanthera was first formally described in 1806 by Jacques Labillardière in his book Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen and the first species he described was Prostanthera lasianthos. The word is derived from the Greek for an appendage. Within the flowers are small spur-like appendages on the anthers.

Ecology

Prostanthera species are used as food plants by the larvae of hepialid moths of the genus Aenetus including A. eximia and A. ligniveren.

Uses

Mint bushes are cultivated as ornamentals and for essential oils and spices.

Species list

The following is a list of species accepted at the Australian Plant Census as at August 2020:

Prostanthera albiflora B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera albohirta C.T.White (Qld.)
Prostanthera althoferi B.J.Conn (W.A., N.T., S.A.)
- Prostanthera althoferi B.J.Conn subsp. althoferi (W.A.)
- Prostanthera althoferi subsp. longifolia B.J.Conn (N.T., S.A.)
Prostanthera ammophila B.J.Conn (S.A.)
Prostanthera arapilensis M.L.Williams, Drinnan & N.G.Walsh (Vic.)
Prostanthera askania B.J.Conn (N.S.W.) – tranquility mint-bush
Prostanthera aspalathoides A.Cunn. ex Benth. (S.A., N.S.W., Vic.) – scarlet mint-bush
Prostanthera athertoniana B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (Qld.)
Prostanthera baxteri A.Cunn. ex Benth. (W.A.)
Prostanthera behriana Schltdl. (S.A.)
Prostanthera caerulea R.Br. (N.S.W.) – lilac mint-bush
Prostanthera calycina F.Muell. ex Benth. (S.A.) – west coast mint-bush
Prostanthera campbellii F.Muell. (W.A.)
Prostanthera canaliculata F.Muell. (W.A.)
Prostanthera carrickiana B.J.Conn (W.A.) – Carrick's mintbush
Prostanthera centralis B.J.Conn (W.A., N.T.)
Prostanthera chlorantha (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Benth. (S.A.) – green mintbush
Prostanthera cineolifera R.T.Baker & H.G.Sm.. (N.S.W.) – Singleton mint bush
Prostanthera clotteniana (F.M.Bailey.) A.R.Bean (Qld.)
Prostanthera collina Domin (Qld.)
Prostanthera conniana T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera cruciflora J.H.Willis (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera cryptandroides A.Cunn. ex Benth. (Qld., N.S.W.)- Wollemi mint-bush
- Prostanthera cryptandroides A.Cunn. ex Benth. subsp. cryptandroides (N.S.W.) – Wollemi mint-bush
- Prostanthera cryptandroides subsp. euphrasioides (Benth.) B.J.Conn (Qld., N.S.W.)
Prostanthera cuneata Benth. (N.S.W.) – alpine mint-bush
Prostanthera decussata F.Muell. (N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic.) – dense mintbush
Prostanthera densa A.A.Ham. (N.S.W.) – villous mint-bush
Prostanthera denticulata R.Br. (N.S.W., Vic.) – rough mint-bush
Prostanthera discolor R.T.Baker (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera eckersleyana F.Muell. (W.A.) – crinkly mint-bush
Prostanthera eungella B.J.Conn & K.M.Proft (Qld.)
Prostanthera eurybioides F.Muell. (S.A.) – Monarto mint-bush
Prostanthera ferricola B.J.Conn & K.A.Sheph. (W.A.)
Prostanthera florifera B.J.Conn (S.A.) – Gawler Ranges mintbush
Prostanthera galbraithiae B.J.Conn (Vic.) – Wellington mint-bush
Prostanthera gilesii Althofer ex B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera granitica Maiden & Betche (Qld., N.S.W.) – granite mint-bush
Prostanthera grylloana F.Muell. (W.A.)
Prostanthera hindii B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera hirtula F.Muell. ex Benth. (N.S.W., Vic.)
Prostanthera howelliae Blakely (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera incana A.Cunn. ex Benth. (N.S.W., Vic.) - velvet mint-bush
Prostanthera incisa R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.) – cut-leaved mint-bush
Prostanthera incurvata B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera junonis B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera lanceolata Domin (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera laricoides B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera lasianthos Labill. (Qld., N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic., Tas.) – Victorian Christmas bush
Prostanthera leichhardtii Benth. (Qld.)
Prostanthera linearis R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W.) – narrow-leaved mint-bush
Prostanthera lithospermoides F.Muell. (Qld.)
Prostanthera magnifica C.A.Gardner (W.A.) – magnificent mint-bush
Prostanthera makinsonii B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera marifolia R.Br. (N.S.W.) – Seaforth mint-bush
Prostanthera megacalyx C.T.White & W.D.Francis (Qld.)
Prostanthera melissifolia F.Muell. (N.S.W., Vic.) – balm mint-bush
Prostanthera monticola B.J.Conn (N.S.W., Vic.) – monkey mint-bush, buffalo mint-bush
Prostanthera mulliganensis B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (Qld.)
Prostanthera nanophylla B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera nivea A.Cunn. ex Benth. (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.) – snowy mint-bush
- Prostanthera nivea var. induta Benth. (N.S.W.)
- Prostanthera nivea A.Cunn. ex Benth. var. nivea (N.S.W., Vic.)
Prostanthera nudula J.M.Black ex E.L.Robertson (S.A.)
Prostanthera oleoides T.C.Wilson & B.J.Conn (Qld.)
Prostanthera ovalifolia R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.) – mint bush
Prostanthera palustris B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera parvifolia Domin (Qld.)
Prostanthera patens B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera pedicellata B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera petraea B.J.Conn (Qld., N.S.W.)
Prostanthera petrophila B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera phylicifolia F.Muell. (Qld., N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic.) – spiked mint-bush
Prostanthera porcata B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera prostantheroides (F.Muell.) T.C.Wilson, M.J.Henwood & B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera prunelloides R.Br. (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera rhombea R.Br. (N.S.W., Vic.) - sparkling mint-bush
Prostanthera ringens Benth. (Qld., N.S.W.) – gaping mint-bush
Prostanthera rotundifolia R.Br. (N.S.W., Vic., Tas.) – round-leaf mint-bush
Prostanthera rugosa A.Cunn. ex Benth. (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera saxicola R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.)
- Prostanthera saxicola var. bracteolata J.H.Willis (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.)
- Prostanthera saxicola var. major Benth. (Qld., N.S.W.)
- Prostanthera saxicola var. montana A.A.Ham. (N.S.W.)
- Prostanthera saxicola R.Br. var. saxicola (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera schultzii F.Muell. ex Tate (N.T.)
Prostanthera scutata C.A.Gardner (W.A.)
Prostanthera scutellarioides (R.Br.) Briq. (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera sejuncta M.L.Williams, Drinnan & N.G.Walsh (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera semiteres B.J.Conn (W.A.)
- Prostanthera semiteres subsp. intricata B.J.Conn (W.A.)
- Prostanthera semiteres B.J.Conn subsp. semiteres (W.A.)
Prostanthera sericea (J.M.Black) B.J.Conn (W.A., N.T., S.A.)
Prostanthera serpyllifolia (R.Br.) Briq. (W.A., S.A., N.S.W., Vic.) – small-leaved mint-bush
- Prostanthera serpyllifolia subsp. microphylla (R.Br.) B.J.Conn (N.S.W., S.A., Vic., W.A.)
- Prostanthera serpyllifolia (R.Br.) Briq. subsp. serpyllifolia (S.A., W.A.)
Prostanthera spinosa F.Muell. (S.A., Vic.) – spiny mint-bush
Prostanthera splendens B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera staurophylla F.Muell. (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera stenophylla B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera striatiflora F.Muell. (W.A., N.T., S.A., N.S.W.)
Prostanthera stricta R.T.Baker (N.S.W.) – Mount Vincent mint-bush
Prostanthera suborbicularis C.T.White & W.D.Francis (Qld.)
Prostanthera tallowa B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)
Prostanthera teretifolia Maiden & Betche (N.S.W.) – turpentine mint-bush
Prostanthera tozerana B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (Qld.)
Prostanthera tysoniana (Carrick) B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera verticillaris B.J.Conn (W.A.)
Prostanthera violacea R.Br. (N.S.W.) – violet mint-bush
Prostanthera walteri F.Muell. (N.S.W., Vic.) – blotchy mint-bush
Prostanthera wilkieana F.Muell. (W.A., N.T., S.A.)