Mentha arvensis
Field mint (Mentha arvensis)
- Field mint (Mentha arvensis var arvensis)
- Japanese peppermint (Mentha arvensis var piperascens )
The field mint (Mentha arvensis ) or corn mint is found in the wild species of the genus of the mint (Mentha ) in the mint family ( Lamiaceae).
Features
These are perennial herbaceous plant with plant height 15-45 cm. The plant can reproduce by underground runners.
The significantly stalked leaves are ovate to elliptic. The coat can vary greatly. Often the leaves and the upper part of the plant are soft hairy.
Among the mints the field mint is characterized in that the Scheinquirlen in which the flowers are arranged, are removed from each other in the axils of fully developed leaves. Even at the top of the stems are not crowded the Blütenquirlen. The existing in most other types of mint pseudo-spikes there is not so. The stems end more or less leafy.
The calyx is more or less regularly pentadentate. The sepals are broadly triangular and about as wide as long. The flowering season is from June to October.
Occurrence
The field mint is a widespread, circumpolar mint species whose natural distribution of the temperate zones of North America and Europe via the Middle East, Siberia, Central Asia, the northern Indian subcontinent, East Asia to tropical Asia with Malaysia's enough. It grows in moist, nutrient- rich areas such as wet meadows, or in addition to lowering fields.
Use
The Japanese variety of the field mint (Mentha arvensis var piperascens ), which is also known as Japanese peppermint, is the main source of menthol. It is cultivated in many countries of Asia. After withdrawal of a portion of the menthol, the remaining part of the essential oil is used as "Japanese peppermint oil " on the market.
Others
The field mint like forms hybrids with other types of mint. Relatively common is the so-called Quirlminze (Mentha x verticillata ), a cross between the wild mint and water mint. It lies in all characters between their two parents, is often something stronger and can displace this then.
The essential oil of peppermint real has a higher proportion of menthol. It consists of 42% free alcohols (especially menthol), flavonoids and tannins. It has an antispasmodic, cooling, disinfectant on the body and stimulates the blood circulation into the bargain.
In the European Pharmacopoeia, the essential oil of wild mint is run in " mint ", the peppermint, however, under " peppermint oil ".