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Mentha gattefossei

Summary

Mentha gattefossei is a plant species in the genus Mentha, endemic to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It was first described by French botanist René Maire in 1922.[2] Harvested for its essential oil, M. gattefossei has seen use in traditional medicine, pest control and as a food seasoning.

Mentha gattefossei
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Mentha
Species:
M. gattefossei
Binomial name
Mentha gattefossei

Name edit

When he described it in 1922, Maire named Mentha gattefossei in honor of botanist Jean Gattefossé, in recognition of his contributions to the study of Moroccan herbs and aromatic plants.[3][4]

Its vernacular names include Arabic Fliyyo dial jbel, as well as French Menthe de Perse and Menthe de Gatefossé.[5]

Taxonomy edit

Mentha gattefossei is accepted as a distinct species by authorities such as Plants of the World Online.[6] Within the mints, it has historically been grouped with relatives such as Mentha pulegium, Mentha requienii and Mentha grandiflora within the "Pulegium" section.[7] This was owing to a homoplasy in morphological features between it and M. pulegium.[8] Maire himself, however, had speculated an ancestral connection to Mentha cervina.[9][10] More recently, a 2004 phylogenetic study, analyzing chloroplast DNA, confirmed a link with M. cervina, placing them in a sub-clade, citing three shared insertion and deletion mutations between the species,[11] as well as morphological and ecological similarities.[12] It is now placed generally with other Mediterranean endemic species, including M. cervina and M. requienii, on the basis of multiple genetic grouping algorithms.[13] Along with Mentha japonica and Mentha pulegium, it has a base chromosome number of x = 10.[14]

Hybridization between M. gattefossei and other mints is difficult, and successful crosses are typically weak with a high susceptibility to powdery mildew.[15] Sterile crosses with Mentha arvensis and Mentha aquatica have however been produced in experimental conditions.[16][17]

Description edit

 
Detail showing sessile leaves along branch

Mentha gattefossei is a perennial plant with a creeping, branched rhizome. Its simple to slightly branched stems grow 20 to 30 centimeters high. Its 10 to 15 millimeter-length leaves are sessile, glabrous and broadly linear to oblanceolate in shape. Flowers form along verticillasters, pedicels 2 to 3 millimeters long, 2-lipped calyx possessing 5 lobes. Its corolla is whitish, 4 to 5 millimeters long.[2][18]

Mentha gattefossei may be distinguished from most species within the Mentha genus due to its whitish apical spine on each calyx lobe, a feature it shares with only M. cervina.[19] It may be distinguished from M. cervina by the number of calyx lobes.[13] Maire further distinguished M. gattefossei by its unincised bracts.[3]

 
Detail of inflorescence

Its flowering season in its native range is in June and July.[20] A study of experimental plantings in Moldova found its seed germination rate to be about 70%.[21]

Its essential oil's main components are pulegone (68.4%) and menthone (10.4%).[22] Other chemicals identified in smaller amounts include neomenthol, d-limonene, alpha-Pinene, beta-Pinene, eucalyptol and caryophyllene.[20]

Distribution edit

Mentha gattefossei is strictly endemic to the High Atlas, Middle Atlas, Anti Atlas and Saharan regions of Morocco, in an area estimated to be around 500 square kilometers.[1] Its primary habitat is at the edge of dayas (pools which evaporate during the summer) in the Atlas Mountains.[23] It also occupies other wet habitats, such as river banks, irrigation canals and damp meadows and pastures.[20]

Due to its constrained distribution, it has been described as "among the rarest plants in the world."[24] According to the IUCN, it is believed that warming due to climate change could have a significant impact on Mediterranean plants.[25] Because of its rarity, international efforts have been made at propagation for conservation purposes. Experimentally, in vitro micropropagation has been successfully used to induce multiple shoots from axillary buds, which the authors proposed as a method for large-scale propagation and conservation.[26]

Use edit

Mentha gattefossei is used for its essential oil, as well as an aromatic herb in foods and teas.[20] It has traditionally been consumed in Morocco as a decoction to promote general health.[27] Its essential oil components pulegone and menthone are proposed to give it antioxidant properties.[28] Its harvesting for medicinal and food reasons is cited as a reason for its decline in the wild.[18]

In Morocco, its scent is used to repel insects who would otherwise damage stores of dried figs.[20]

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b Hassan et al. 2020, p. 1.
  2. ^ a b Maire 1922, p. 42.
  3. ^ a b Maire 1922, p. 43.
  4. ^ Ciocârlan 2014, p. 19.
  5. ^ "Mentha gattefossei Maire". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  6. ^ "Mentha gattefossei Maire". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  7. ^ Bunsawat et al. 2004, p. 960.
  8. ^ Bunsawat 2002, p. 26.
  9. ^ Chambers & Hummer 1994, p. 430.
  10. ^ Maire 1922, p. 44.
  11. ^ Bunsawat et al. 2004, p. 961.
  12. ^ Bunsawat et al. 2004, p. 962.
  13. ^ a b Tucker & Naczi 2006, p. 10.
  14. ^ Bunsawat 2002, p. 5.
  15. ^ Murray, Marble & Lincoln 1971, p. 366.
  16. ^ Murray, Marble & Lincoln 1971, p. 364.
  17. ^ Murray, Marble & Lincoln 1971, p. 365.
  18. ^ a b Ciocârlan 2014, p. 20.
  19. ^ Tucker & Naczi 2006, p. 6.
  20. ^ a b c d e Hassan et al. 2020, p. 4.
  21. ^ Ciocârlan 2014, p. 21.
  22. ^ Lawrence 2006, p. 329.
  23. ^ Tucker & Naczi 2006, p. 20.
  24. ^ Bunsawat et al. 2004, p. 959.
  25. ^ Hassan et al. 2020, p. 5.
  26. ^ Călugaru-Spătaru & Ciocârlan 2018, p. 103.
  27. ^ El Hassani 2020, p. 7.
  28. ^ Ciocârlan 2017, p. 88.

References edit

  • Bunsawat, Jiranan (2002). "Mentha (Lamiaceae) Phylogenetic Analysis Using Chloroplast TRNL-TRNF and Nuclear Ribosomal DNA ITS Sequences". Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Bowling Green: Western Kentucky University. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  • Bunsawat, Jiranan; Elliott, Natalina E.; Hertweck, Kate L.; Sproles, Elizabeth; Alice, Lawrence A. (2004). "Phylogenetics of Mentha (Lamiaceae): Evidence from Chloroplast DNA Sequences". Systematic Botany. 29 (4): 959–964. doi:10.1600/0363644042450973. ISSN 0363-6445. JSTOR 25064024. S2CID 86816849. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  • Călugaru-Spătaru, Tatiana; Ciocârlan, Nina (2018). In vitro propagation of Mentha gattefossei Maire – the endangered essential oil-bearing species. International congress on oil and protein crops. Chişinău, Moldova. p. 103. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  • Chambers, Henrietta L.; Hummer, Kim E. (1994). "Chromosome Counts in the Mentha Collection at the USDA: ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository". Taxon. 43 (3): 423–432. doi:10.2307/1222717. ISSN 0040-0262. JSTOR 1222717. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  • Ciocârlan, Nina (2014). "Mentha Gattefossei Maire - A Threatened Medicinal Species Cultivated in the Botantical Garden (I) of ASM". Mediaul Ambiant. 2 (74): 19–22. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  • Ciocârlan, Nina (2017). "Contributions to the mobilization, research and capitalization of medicinal Lamiaceae species in the Botanical Garden (I) of ASM". Revista Botanică. 2 (15): 82–91. ISSN 1857-095X. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  • El Hassani, Fatima Zahra (2020). "Characterization, activities, and ethnobotanical uses of Mentha species in Morocco". Heliyon. 6 (11): –05480. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05480. ISSN 2405-8440. PMC 7689164. PMID 33294657.
  • Hassan, Rankou; Soufiane, M'Sou; Diarra, Alhousseine; Aitbabahmad, Rachid (2020). "Mentha gattefossei, Menthe de Perse". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T164184A72262769.en. ISSN 2307-8235.
  • Lawrence, Brian M. (2006-12-13). "Oil Composition of Other Mentha Species and Hybrids". In Brian M. Lawrence (ed.). Mint: The Genus Mentha. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles (1st ed.). Boca Roton: CRC Press. pp. 325–346. ISBN 978-0-8493-0798-0.
  • Maire, René (1922). "Contributions à l'étude de la Flore de l'Afrique du Nord (Quatrième Fascicule)". Bulletin de la Société d'histoire naturelle de l'Afrique du Nord (in French). 13 (2): 37–44.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • Murray, Merritt; Marble, Philip; Lincoln, David (1971). "Inter-Subgeneric Hybrids in the Genus Mentha". Journal of Heredity. 62 (6): 363–366. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a108197.
  • Tucker, Arthur O.; Naczi, Robert F. C. (2006-12-13). "Mentha: An Overview of Its Classification and Relationships". In Brian M. Lawrence (ed.). Mint: The Genus Mentha. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles (1st ed.). Boca Roton: CRC Press. pp. 1–40. ISBN 978-0-8493-0798-0.

External links edit

  •   Data related to Mentha gattefossei at Wikispecies

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