Genus of plants
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 ,[2] is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae , and all are endemic to Australia. Plants are usually shrubs, rarely trees with leaves in opposite pairs. The flowers are arranged in panicles in the leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets. The sepals are joined at the base with two lobes. The petals are 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 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.[2] [3] [4]
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 .[5] [6] The word is derived from the Greek for an appendage. Within the flowers are small spur-like appendages on the anthers .[7]
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.[8] [9] [10]
Species list The following is a list of species accepted at the Australian Plant Census as at August 2020:[11]
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-bushProstanthera aspalathoides A.Cunn. ex Benth. (S.A., N.S.W., Vic.) – scarlet mint-bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera calycina F.Muell. ex Benth. (S.A.) – west coast mint-bushProstanthera campbellii F.Muell. (W.A.)Prostanthera canaliculata F.Muell. (W.A.)Prostanthera carrickiana B.J.Conn (W.A.) – Carrick's mintbushProstanthera centralis B.J.Conn (W.A., N.T.)Prostanthera chlorantha (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Benth. (S.A.) – green mintbushProstanthera cineolifera R.T.Baker & H.G.Sm. (N.S.W.) – Singleton mint bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera cryptandroides A.Cunn. ex Benth. subsp. cryptandroides (N.S.W.) – Wollemi mint-bushProstanthera cryptandroides subsp. euphrasioides (Benth.) B.J.Conn (Qld., N.S.W.)Prostanthera cuneata Benth. (N.S.W.) – alpine mint-bushProstanthera decussata F.Muell. (N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic.) – dense mintbushProstanthera densa A.A.Ham. (N.S.W.) – villous mint-bushProstanthera denticulata R.Br. (N.S.W., Vic.) – rough mint-bushProstanthera discolor R.T.Baker (N.S.W.)Prostanthera eckersleyana F.Muell. (W.A.) – crinkly mint-bushProstanthera eungella B.J.Conn & K.M.Proft (Qld.)Prostanthera eurybioides F.Muell. (S.A.) – Monarto mint-bushProstanthera ferricola B.J.Conn & K.A.Sheph. (W.A.)Prostanthera florifera B.J.Conn (S.A.) – Gawler Ranges mintbushProstanthera galbraithiae B.J.Conn (Vic.) – Wellington mint-bushProstanthera gilesii Althofer ex B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)Prostanthera granitica Maiden & Betche (Qld., N.S.W.) – granite mint-bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera incisa R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.) – cut-leaved mint-bushProstanthera 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 bushProstanthera leichhardtii Benth. (Qld.)Prostanthera linearis R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W.) – narrow-leaved mint-bushProstanthera lithospermoides F.Muell. (Qld.)Prostanthera magnifica C.A.Gardner (W.A.) – magnificent mint-bushProstanthera makinsonii B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)Prostanthera marifolia R.Br. (N.S.W.) – Seaforth mint-bushProstanthera megacalyx C.T.White & W.D.Francis (Qld.)Prostanthera melissifolia F.Muell. (N.S.W., Vic.) – balm mint-bushProstanthera monticola B.J.Conn (N.S.W., Vic.) – monkey mint-bush, buffalo mint-bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera 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 bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera ringens Benth. (Qld., N.S.W.) – gaping mint-bushProstanthera rotundifolia R.Br. (N.S.W., Vic., Tas.) – round-leaf mint-bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera 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-bushProstanthera walteri F.Muell. (N.S.W., Vic.) – blotchy mint-bushProstanthera wilkieana F.Muell. (W.A., N.T., S.A.)
References Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prostanthera .
^ a b "Prostanthera". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 19 August 2020 . ^ a b Conn, Barry J.; Murray, Louisa. "Genus Prostanthera". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 19 August 2020 . ^ Conn, Barry J. "Prostanthera". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 19 August 2020 . ^ "Prostanthera". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions . ^ "Prostanthera". APNI. Retrieved 19 August 2020 . ^ Labillardière, Jacques (1806). Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen. Paris: Ex typographia Dominæ Huzard,1804-1806. pp. 18–19. Retrieved 19 August 2020 . ^ Les Robinson, Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney , ISBN 978-0-7318-1211-0 page 180 ^ RHS A–Z encyclopedia of garden plants . United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965 .^ Althofer, G.W. (1978). Cradle of Incense: The Story of Australian Prostanthera . New South Wales: Society for Growing Australian Plants. OCLC 13244976. ^ Sadgrove NJ, Padilla-González GF, Telford IR, Greatrex BW, Jones GL, Andrew R, Bruhl JJ, Langat MK, Melnikovova I, Fernandez-Cusimamani E (2020). "Prostanthera (Lamiaceae) as a 'Cradle of Incense': Chemophenetics of Rare Essential Oils from Both New and Forgotten Australian 'Mint Bush' Species". Plants . 9 (11): 1570. doi:10.3390/plants9111570 . PMC 7696040 . PMID 33202983. ^ "Prostanthera". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 19 August 2020 .
External links "Prostanthera Labill. — Mint-Bushes". Atlas of Living Australia.