Lamiaceae, the Mint family, consists of about 200 genera and 3,200 species worldwide, mostly perennial or annual herbs and shrubs (rarely trees). They are usually easily recognizable by having square stems and opposite or whorled leaves. Many of the species are aromatic, making them further recognizable. Lamiaceae (formerly Labiatae) receives a lot of interest, as many members of the family possess high economic and other useful qualities. These plants characteristically bear essential oils in the form of their crushed foliage. Despite their identifiable qualities, they are a family of great diversity and variety.
The flowers of Lamiaceae are bilaterally symmetrical, have 5 united sepals, 5 united petals, usually arranged so as to form an upper and often lower lip, stamens are 2 to 4. All these parts attached at the base of the ovary. The flowers grow in long clusters, heads, or interrupted whorls on the stem.
The leaves vary from simple (typical in our area) to pinnately or palmately dissected or compound, are either opposite or whorled (3 – 10 per whorl) and are usually toothed. They are almost always aromatic (very rarely lacking an odor). The leaves are either one–veined, pinnately veined, or palmately veined, and either heart shaped (or close to it) or rounded at the base. As explained above, the stems of this family have a unique square (4-sided) shape about them. The fruit has 4 lobes, each forming a hard, single-seeded nutlet, rarely a stone.