The Pennyroyal

The pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is a toxic, perennial plant which belongs to the mint family (Labiatae or Lamiaceae). It is a plant of wet, winter flooded, nutrient-rich soil in floodplains, along lakes and grasslands. The plant is native to Eurasia. The species is on the Dutch Red List of plants as very rare and very much reduced.

The plant is 15-30 cm high and is above-ground shoots. The soft, square stems root easily. The narrow-oval leaves are 5-10 mm wide and have a shallow jagged-toothed edge or an edge almost smooth edges.

The pennyroyal blooms in August and September with light purple flowers 4-6 mm long. The crown is within bare tube. The unequal vijftandige bowl is approximately bilabial in the throat with a ring of long white hairs, throat closing time in the fruit. The flowers appear in whorls. The top ring is less apparent and armbloemiger than sitting underneath, making the stem ends below in a small group of leaves.

The fruit is a four-part split fruit. The light brown, oval seeds are about 0.75 mm.

The plant is used in the ornamental garden.

Of the dried tea leaves can be drawn. In Spain this is a very common herb that is widely available.

The plant essential oil is extracted, which is colorless or light yellow color. The oil has a heavy mint smell and is mainly used in detergents and cheap perfume. It consists of pulegone plantengif that menstruation can also promote abortion can bring.




Source: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polei

See also: International Flower Delivery, Florist