Mentha ×rotundifolia
(L.) Huds. Apple MintErect, rhizomatous herb to c. 60 cm, rooting at lower nodes; branches villous, often reddish. Leaves broadly elliptic or broadly ovate, 20–60 mm long, 15–45 mm wide, upper surface with moderately dense septate and sometimes arachnoid hairs, lower surface grey-villous with at least some hairs (usually along veins) branched, veins usually strongly impressed above, apex rounded, base cordate or truncate, margin crenate to serrate; sessile. Inflorescence terminal, 4–10 cm long, often branched at or near base; flowers in dense, many-flowered clusters, lower internode(s) usually apparent; pedicels shorter than calyx. Calyx 1.5–2.5 mm long, 10-veined, lobes half to as long as tube or slightly shorter, villous; corolla pink to pale lilac, exceeding calyx by 1–1.5 mm, lobes c. 1 mm long, the posterior one entire or barely emarginate; anthers not or barely exserted. Flowers ?Feb.–Apr.
GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Also naturalised SA, Qld, NSW. A fertile hybrid between Mentha longifolia and M. suaveolens Ehrh. Presumably a garden-escape, noted as naturalised in Walhalla, Hepburn Springs and Alexandra areas.
Back-crosses with either parent (although M. suaveolens does not appear to be naturalised in the State) may make accurate identification of progeny impossible.
Conn, B.J. (1999). Lamiaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 418–459. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning