Mentha royleana facts for kids

Mentha royleana, also known as Royle's mint, is a type of mint plant. It grows naturally in places like eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Himalayas, and Kashmir. This plant is a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years and has soft stems. Like other mints, it has a strong, fresh smell. People have used Royle's mint for a long time in traditional medicine.

What's in a Name? Royle's Mint

This mint plant is commonly called Royle's mint in English. It got this name from a British botanist (a plant scientist) named John Forbes Royle.

In Pakistan, people often call it Jangli podina, or simply podina or pudina. Other local names for this plant include:

• Kala podna
• Nari Wailani (in the Pashto language)
• Safaid podina (in Hindko)
• Pahari pudina
• Tulasi paate
• Valenay (in the Miandam area)
• Venalay

About Royle's Mint

Mentha royleana looks a lot like other mint plants, especially Mentha longifolia. Just like other mints, it is a perennial plant. This means it grows back year after year.

It spreads using special underground stems called rhizomes. These rhizomes help the plant grow new shoots. Royle's mint also has the strong, fresh smell that most mint plants are known for.

You can tell Royle's mint apart from its close relatives by its leaves. Its leaves are usually long and narrow, shaped like an oval. They often have a stem (called a petiole) that connects them to the main plant. Sometimes, the leaves might not have a stem and grow directly from the plant.

Its flower spikes are thin, with small groups of flowers that are spaced out. The tiny flowers are usually whitish in color.

How Scientists Classify Mint Plants

Mint plants, including Mentha royleana, have a lot of genetic variation. This means there are many small differences in their DNA. They also hybridize easily, which means different types of mint can mix and create new kinds.

Because of this, it can be tricky for scientists to decide if a mint plant is a new species or just a different type of an existing one. In 2018, a study in Pakistan showed that M. royleana had the most genetic differences among the mints they looked at.

Scientists have identified a few different types, or "varieties," of M. royleana. For example, one study in 1992 found two varieties: var. glabra and var. gilgitica. Later, in 1998, another botanist recognized three varieties: var. royleana, var. detonsa, and var. afghanica.

Some scientists once thought M. royleana was just a type of M. longifolia. However, most experts now agree it is its own distinct species. Organizations like Plants of the World Online list it as a separate species. Studies comparing M. royleana with M. spicata also showed they were different enough to be separate species. Scientists continue to study mints to understand their family tree even better.

Where Royle's Mint Grows

Mentha royleana originally grew in the Himalayan region. This includes countries like India, Pakistan, and Nepal. Now, you can find it growing in many parts of Northwest Asia and Europe. People have also started growing it on purpose in some areas of China.

This mint plant likes wet places. It often grows at high elevations, usually between 9,000 and 11,000 feet above sea level. Some sources even say it can grow up to 12,000 feet. Many people describe it as a very common mint, especially in Pakistan. Some even call it "the commonest mint" there.

Uses of Royle's Mint

Mentha royleana is considered a very useful plant in traditional medicine. People have used it to help with many different health problems.

It is often used to treat issues like vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, and cholera. It is also known as a general carminative. This means it can help relieve gas and bloating.

Here are some specific ways people use it:

• In the Margalla Hills, people grind Royle's mint with the fruit of another plant called Zanthoxylum armatum. They mix it with salt to make a cure for stomach aches.
• Herbal healers in Batakundi add the leaves of M. royleana to green tea. They believe this helps cool the body and relieve gas.
• In Parachinar, people sew the plant's leaves into cloth pads. These pads are then wrapped around babies' chests to help with flu and other chest problems.
• In the Haramosh valley in Gilgit District, M. royleana is mixed with pomegranate, ginger, and garlic. This mixture is made into a juice to help treat diabetes and heart issues.
• When combined with Thymus linearis (Himalayan Thyme), it is used to treat high blood pressure and abdominal worms.

Besides its medical uses, M. royleana is also used to freshen breath. People also use it in cooking, adding it to sauces and salads. In Hinduism, the flowering shoots of M. royleana are sometimes used in religious ceremonies.