Mentha cervina

Mentha cervina

Mentha cervina

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Lamiales
Classification System: APG IV Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Diaphoretickes Cladus: CAM Cladus: Archaeplastida Regnum: Plantae Cladus: Angiosperms Cladus: Eudicots Cladus: Core eudicots Cladus: Asterids Cladus: Lamiids Ordo: Lamiales

Familia: Lamiaceae
Subfamilia: Nepetoideae
Tribus: Mentheae
Subtribus: Menthinae
Genus: Mentha
Species: Mentha cervina

Name

Mentha cervina L., Sp. Pl.: 578 (1753).

Synonyms

• Homotypic
  • Preslia cervina (L.) Fresen., Syll. Pl. Nov. 2: 238 (1828).
  • Pulegium cervinum (L.) Mill., Gard. Dict., ed. 8.: n.° 3 (1768).
• Heterotypic
  • Mentha multifida Stokes, Bot. Mat. Med. 3: 318 (1812).
  • Mentha punctata Moench, Suppl. Meth.: 146 (1802).
  • Preslia cervina subvar. glabriflora (Opiz) Nyman, Consp. Fl. Eur.: 595 (1881).
  • Preslia cervina subvar. villiflora (Opiz) Nyman, Consp. Fl. Eur.: 595 (1881).
  • Preslia glabriflora Opiz, Naturalientausch 8: 88 (1824).
  • Preslia villiflora Opiz, Naturalientausch 8: 88 (1824).

Distribution

Native distribution areas:
Native to: Africa Northern Africa Algeria, Morocco. Macaronesia Azores. Europe Northern Europe Great Britain. Southeastern Europe İtalya. Southwestern Europe France, Portugal, Spain. Extinct in: Europe Southeastern Europe Italy. Introduced into: Europe Northern Europe Great Britain. References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition

References

Primary references

• Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus II: 578. Reference page. 

Additional references

• Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. 2012. Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du Nord. Volume 4: Dicotyledoneae: Fabaceae – Nymphaeaceae. Conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève, ISBN 978-2-8277-0126-1, 431 pp. PDF Reference page. 
• Castroviejo, S.†, Morales, R., Quintanar, A., Cabezas, F., Pujadas, A. & Cirujano, S. (eds.) 2010. Flora Ibérica. Plantas Vasculares de la Península Ibérica e Islas Baleares. Vol. XII. Verbenaceae − Labiatae − Callitrichaceae. liv + 650 pp., Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid. ISBN 978-84-00-09041-8. Biblioteca Digital. Reference page. 

Links

• Govaerts, R. et al. 2025. Mentha cervina in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2025 Dec 13. Reference page. 
• International Plant Names Index. 2025. Mentha cervina. Published online. Accessed: 13 Dec 2025. Reference page.
• Hassler, M. 2025. World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. . Mentha cervina. Accessed: Dec 13 2025. Reference page. 

Vernacular names

• Deutsch: Cervinia Minze
• English: Hart's Pennyroyal
• español: Poleo de hoja estrecha
• français: Preslie des cerfs
• italiano: Menta cervina
• português: Alecrim-do-rio, Erva-peixeira, Hortelã-dos-campos, Hortelã-crespa, Hortelã-dos-pântanos, Menta-peixeira

For more multimedia, look at Mentha cervina on Wikimedia Commons.