Mentha aquatica

Summary
Description
Properties
Publications
Summary
Resource Type
Organism
Abbreviation
M. aquatica
Genus
Mentha
Species
aquatica
Common Name
watermint
Description
Description

Perennial plant with wide-spreading rhizomes.
Native to much of Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia.

Prefers moist or wet soild, and can grow in water (partially submerged).

Not cultivated on commercial scale.

Along with spearmint, one of the parents of peppermint.

 

Genetics
2n=8x=96 (octoploid).

 

Oil characteristics

High:  (+)-menthofuran.
Medium:  1,8-cineole, beta-caryophyllene.
Low:  gamma-cadinene, viridiflorol, (-)-limonene.

Notes: The natural diversity of the oil composition among Mentha aquatica accessions is currently being investigated.  These data sets will be uploaded here soon.

Essential oil composition of watermint (Mentha aquatica):

Constituent Abundance
(% of oil)		 Structure
(+)-Menthofuran 40-80
1,8-Cineole 8-18
β-Caryophyllene 6-12
γ-Cadinene 3-5
Viridiflorol 3-5
(-)-Limonene 1-5

 

References

B.M. Lawrence (Ed.) (2006) Mint - The Genus Mentha, CRC Press.
Murray, M.J.L., Lincoln, D.E., Marble, P.M. (1972) Oil composition of Mentha aquatica x M. spicata F1 hybrids in relation to the origin of M. x piperita. Can. J. Genet. Cytol. 14: 13-29.
Malingré, T.M., Maarse, H. (1974) Composition of the essential oil of Mentha aquatica. Phytochemistry 13: 1531-1535.
Properties
Ploidy
2n=8x=96 (octoploid).
Lineage
cellular organisms; Eukaryota; Viridiplantae; Streptophyta; Streptophytina; Embryophyta; Tracheophyta; Euphyllophyta; Spermatophyta; Magnoliopsida; Mesangiospermae; eudicotyledons; Gunneridae; Pentapetalae; asterids; lamiids; Lamiales; Lamiaceae; Nepetoideae; Mentheae; Menthinae; Mentha
Division
Plants and Fungi
Mitochondrial Genetic Code Name
Standard
Genetic Code Name
Standard
Publications
  1. Malingré TM, Maarse H. Composition of the essential oil of Mentha aquatica. Phytochemistry. 1974 Aug 1;13(8):1531-5.
  2. Murray MJ, Lincoln DE, Marble PM. Oil composition of Mentha aquatica x M. spicata F1 hybrids in relation to the origin of M. x piperita. Canadian Journal of Genetics and Cytology. 1972 Mar 1;14(1):13-29.
  3. Lawrence BM, editor. Mint: The Genus Mentha. CRC Press; 2006 Dec 13.