Determined according to the botanical keys by Harley in Tutin et al., 1972 (to species level) and Kostadinovski in Matevski, 2021 (to subspecies level).
Species variability: Two subspecies of Mentha spicata L. occur in the Osogovo region: Mentha spicata L. subsp. spicata and Mentha spicata subsp. condensata (Briq.) Greuter & Burdet. Distinction between subspecies:
subsp. spicata: plant completely glabrous, leaves with serrate margin, not undulate; verticillasters more or less crowded, inflorescence c. 3 to 7 cm long. Very common in cultivation as an aromatic garden plant, found locally as a garden escape.
subsp. condensata: plant hairy, with simple and branched hairs; leaves serrate, more or less undulate; at least the lower verticillasters distanced in fruit, inflorescence longer that in subsp. spicata. Usually not cultivated, common in the wild.
Lifeform: Perennial, hemicryptophyte according to the Raunkiaer system.
Distribution: Native from Europe to China according to the distribution information provided by the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).
Habitat: Near rivers, disturbed ground, roadsides, ruderal areas.
Flowering period: Summer – fall: AUG, SEP, OCT.
Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – habit. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – habit. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – habit. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – stems with inflorescences. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – stems with inflorescences. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – developing inflorescence. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – verticillasters with flowers. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – verticillasters with flowers. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – spent inflorescence. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – spent verticillasters. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – stems with leaves. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – stems with leaves. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – adaxial side of leaf. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – adaxial side of leaves. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – abaxial side of leaf. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – stem and abaxial side of leaves. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – stems. “Kochanska” River, 07.10.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata – A, B and C: inflorescences; Scale in cm; D: close-up of verticilllasters with flowers. Scale in mm. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Mentha spicata subsp. spicata –size of anthers. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
References:
Mentha L. Harley, R. M. in Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M. & Webb, D.A. (1972). Flora Europaea. Volume 3: Diapensiaceae to Myoporaceae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 183-186.
Mentha L. Kostadinovski, M. in Matevski, V. The Flora of the RN Macedonia. Vol II, Book 2. Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje, pp. 391 – 397.
