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Botanical Family · Lamiales

Lamiaceae

Mint/Sage family

84 speciesOrder Lamiales8+ well-known plants

The mint or sage family, universally recognised by its square stems and opposite aromatic leaves. A large family of herbs and shrubs with zygomorphic flowers, producing essential oils used in cooking, medicine, and perfumery. Includes mint, basil, lavender, rosemary, and teak.

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Representative LAMIACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Lamiaceae
Key pattern

Square stems and opposite, often aromatic leaves; two-lipped tubular flowers with four stamens in two unequal pairs.

Rich in aromatic volatile oils — the source of most kitchen herbs, from tulsi and mint to rosemary and sage.

Identify the species

Which Lamiaceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Lamiaceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Glaucous (waxy blue-grey bloom)
Hirsute
Hirsute (coarsely hairy)
Not sure / other
Pubescent
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Tomentose
Tomentose (woolly, matted hairs)
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Not sure / other
Pink
Purple
White
Leaf ShapeWhat is the overall shape of the leaf blade?
Linear
Not sure / other
Sagittate (arrowhead-shaped)
Calyx MarkIs there anything distinctive about the calyx (the cup behind the petals)?
Ordinary
Woolly-mouthed calyx
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Succulent
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Pink
White
Leaf ShapeWhat is the overall shape of the leaf blade?
Lanceolate
Nettle-like, coarsely toothed
Not sure / other
Calyx MarkIs there anything distinctive about the calyx (the cup behind the petals)?
Not sure / other
Ordinary
Ten-toothed calyx
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Blue
Purple
Red
Calyx MarkIs there anything distinctive about the calyx (the cup behind the petals)?
Helmet-shaped (scutellate)
Mealy, white-frosted (farinose) stem
Not sure / other
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Pink
Red
White
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Not sure / other
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
White
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub
Inflorescence TypeHow are the flowers arranged on the plant?
Not sure / other
Raceme
Spike (stalkless flowers along a stem)
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub
Inflorescence TypeHow are the flowers arranged on the plant?
Head (dense tight cluster)
Not sure / other
Panicle (branched cluster of clusters)
Spike
AromaDoes the plant have a strong, recognizable smell when crushed?
Not sure / other
Patchouli-like scent
Strong clove-like scent
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Shrub
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Pink
White

How to recognise the Lamiaceae family

  • 01

    Square (4-angled) stems

  • 02

    Opposite aromatic leaves with essential oils

  • 03

    2-lipped (bilabiate) flowers

Family identification method

To check whether a plant belongs to Lamiaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.

Learn the full family-identification method

Typical leaf characters

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Thick Leaved LavenderAnisochilus carnosusWestern Hill Cat-MintAnisomeles heyneanaIndian CatmintAnisomeles indicaMalabar CatmintAnisomeles malabaricaIndian Squirrel TailColebrookea oppositifoliaIndian BorageColeus amboinicusSucculent Swedish IvyColeus prostratusColeusColeus scutellarioides

Families that can look similar

Acanthaceae

Compare against Acanthaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Acanthaceae

Verbenaceae

Compare against Verbenaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Verbenaceae

Scrophulariaceae

Compare against Scrophulariaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Scrophulariaceae

Bignoniaceae

Compare against Bignoniaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Bignoniaceae

All 84 species in LAMIACEAE

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