Lamiaceae
Aromatic flowering plant family including many culinary herbs.
Lamiaceae, also called Labiatae, is a flowering plant family whose common names include mints, deadnettles, and sages. Many species in this family are fragrant, and it supplies a large number of widely used culinary herbs—basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, hyssop, thyme, lemon balm, lavender, and perilla—alongside traditional medicinal plants like catnip, skullcap, bee balm, wild dagga, self-heal, and oriental motherwort.
Most members are herbaceous, though some are shrubs, trees (teak is an example), or, rarely, vines. Many are widely grown not just for their aroma but also because they propagate easily from stem cuttings. Cultivation often focuses on aromatic leaves, and some species offer additional edible parts. A few are raised for their seeds, such as *Salvia hispanica* (chia), or for edible tubers, including *Plectranthus edulis*, *P. esculentus*, *P. rotundifolius*, and *Stachys affinis* (Chinese artichoke). Ornamental use is also common, notably for coleus, *Plectranthus*, and *Salvia* species and hybrids.
The mint family has a cosmopolitan distribution, containing roughly 236 genera and between 6,900 and 7,200 species. The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families gives a higher estimate of 7,534 species. The largest genera are *Salvia* (900 species), *Scutellaria* (360), *Stachys* (300), *Plectranthus* (300), *Hyptis* (280), *Teucrium* (250), *Vitex* (250), *Thymus* (220), and *Nepeta* (200). *Clerodendrum* once held over 400 species, but by 2010 that number had been reduced to about 150.
Traditionally, Lamiaceae was considered closely related to Verbenaceae. In the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera formerly placed in Verbenaceae should instead be classified in Lamiaceae or other families within the order Lamiales. The alternative name Labiatae comes from the flowers’ typical structure: five fused petals forming an upper and a lower lip (labia in Latin). While still acceptable, most botanists now prefer Lamiaceae. The flowers are bilaterally symmetrical, with five united petals and five united sepals, usually bisexual, and arranged in verticillasters (clusters that appear whorled but actually consist of two crowded clusters). Leaves grow opposite each other, each pair at a right angle to the previous one (decussate), or in whorls. Stems are often square in cross section, though this trait is not universal in the family and occasionally appears in other plant families.
**Genera** The last full revision of the family, published in 2004, described and provided keys to 236 genera (marked with an asterisk in the list below). A few genera have been established or resurrected since then (marked with a plus sign), while others have been synonymized (marked with a minus sign). The remaining genera in the list are mostly of historical interest, from a source that includes them without explanation; few are recognized in modern treatments. Kew Gardens provides a more detailed list, and the Angiosperm Phylogeny Website is updated frequently. Plants of the World Online currently accepts 224 genera.
**Recent changes** Since 2004, the circumscription of several genera has shifted. *Tsoongia*, *Paravitex*, and *Viticipremna* have been sunk into synonymy with *Vitex*. *Huxleya* has been sunk into *Volkameria*. *Kalaharia*, *Volkameria*, *Ovieda*, and *Tetraclea* have been segregated from a formerly polyphyletic *Clerodendrum*. *Rydingia* has been separated from *Leucas*, and the remaining *Leucas* is paraphyletic over four other genera.
**Subfamilies and tribes** In 2004, Lamiaceae was divided into seven subfamilies, plus ten genera not placed in any subfamily: *Tectona*, *Callicarpa*, *Hymenopyramis*, *Petraeovitex*, *Peronema*, *Garrettia*, *Cymaria*, *Acrymia*, *Holocheila*, and *Ombrocharis*. The subfamilies are Symphorematoideae, Viticoideae, Ajugoideae, Prostantheroideae, Nepetoideae, Scutellarioideae, and Lamioideae. Viticoideae is probably not monophyletic. Prostantheroideae, Nepetoideae, Ajugoideae, and Lamioideae are divided into tribes, shown in phylogenetic trees below. By 2026, the APG system recognized 12 subfamilies: *Callicarpa* is now in Callicarpoideae; *Acrymia* and *Cymaria* in Cymarioideae; *Holocheila* in Lamioideae; *Ombrocharis* in Nepetoideae; *Garrettia*, *Hymenopyramis*, *Peronema*, and *Petraeovitex* in Peronematoideae; and *Tectona* in Tectonoideae.
**Phylogeny** Most Lamiaceae genera have never been sampled for DNA in molecular phylogenetic studies. Those that have been are included in a phylogenetic tree based on seven different sources. More recent studies have focused on clarifying subfamilial relationships using large chloroplast gene datasets, with largely congruent results.
- common_names
- mints, deadnettles, sages
- distribution
- cosmopolitan
- alternative_family_name
- Labiatae
Lore & Background
The family has traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but phylogenetic studies in the 1990s suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae should be classified in Lamiaceae or other families in the order Lamiales. The alternative family name Labiatae refers to the flowers typically having petals fused into an upper lip and a lower lip (labia in Latin). Although still considered acceptable, most botanists now use the name Lamiaceae. The flowers are bilaterally symmetrical with five united petals and five united sepals, usually bisexual and verticillastrate. Leaves emerge oppositely, each pair at right angles to the previous one (decussate) or whorled, and stems are frequently square in cross section, though not in all members.
Reader's Guide
Lamiaceae is significant for its extensive use in culinary and traditional medicine, including herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, and thyme, as well as medicinal plants such as catnip and skullcap. Many species are cultivated for their aromatic leaves, seeds (e.g., Salvia hispanica or chia), or edible tubers (e.g., Chinese artichoke). The family also includes ornamental plants like coleus and Salvia hybrids. Most genera have never been sampled for molecular phylogenetic studies, but recent work using large chloroplast gene datasets has clarified subfamilial relationships.
Did You Know?
- The family includes trees such as teak (Tectona).
- The alternative family name Labiatae refers to the flowers' fused petals forming an upper and lower lip.
Culinary and Medicinal Significance
The mint family occupies a uniquely central place in human kitchens and apothecaries across the globe. Its aromatic members include some of the most recognizable culinary herbs ever cultivated—basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, hyssop, thyme, lemon balm, lavender, and perilla all belong to this single lineage. Beyond the kitchen, the family supplies a long roster of traditional medicines, from catnip and skullcap to bee balm, wild dagga, self-heal, and oriental motherwort. The practical appeal of Lamiaceae extends well beyond flavor: many species propagate easily from simple stem cuttings, making them accessible to home gardeners worldwide. The family also yields crops grown for entirely different parts. Salvia hispanica is cultivated specifically for its chia seeds, while several Plectranthus species and Stachys affinis (the Chinese artichoke) are valued for their edible tubers. Ornamental selections such as coleus, Plectranthus, and various Salvia hybrids add yet another dimension to the family's broad utility in human culture.
Taxonomic Scale and Global Reach
Its distribution is genuinely cosmopolitan, with representatives found on every continent. The family's members are predominantly herbaceous, though it also encompasses shrubs, occasional trees (teak being the most famous example), and, in rare cases, climbing vines.
Morphological Identity
The mint family is among the easiest plant groups to recognize in the field, owing to a suite of shared structural traits. Its flowers are bilaterally symmetrical, with five petals fused into a two-lipped structure—an upper lip and a lower lip—giving rise to the older family name Labiatae, from the Latin word for lips. While Lamiaceae is now the preferred term among most botanists, Labiatae remains an acceptable alternative. The five sepals are likewise united, and the flowers are typically bisexual. They cluster in a distinctive arrangement called verticillasters, which at first glance resemble a single whorl of blooms but are actually two tightly packed clusters stacked one above the other. Leaves emerge in opposite pairs, with each successive pair rotated ninety degrees relative to the one before it (decussate), though some species produce whorled arrangements. Perhaps the most iconic feature is the square stem in cross-section, a trait so strongly associated with mints that it has become a shorthand for the family, even though it is neither universal within Lamiaceae nor exclusive to it.
Taxonomic Evolution and Reclassification
The boundaries of Lamiaceae have shifted considerably over the past three decades. For much of the twentieth century, the family was thought to be a close relative of Verbenaceae. Phylogenetic work in the 1990s upended that assumption, revealing that many genera long placed in Verbenaceae actually belonged in Lamiaceae or in other Lamiales families. At the generic level, Tsoongia, Paravitex, and Viticipremna were folded into Vitex, Huxleya was merged into Volkameria, and four genera were carved out of the formerly polyphyletic Clerodendrum.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Lamiaceae's powers and role?
The family is famous for producing intensely fragrant foliage used in cooking, traditional medicine, and aromatherapy. Species like catnip, skullcap, and various mints have been relied on for therapeutic and culinary purposes across cultures for centuries.
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