Nepeta nuda
| Nepeta nuda | |
|---|---|
| Nepeta nuda subsp. nuda | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Nepeta |
| Species: | N. nuda
|
| Binomial name | |
| Nepeta nuda L.
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Nepeta nuda is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to the continents of Europe and Asia, its occurrence ranging from Western Europe to Western and Central Asia.[1]
Taxonomy
The species was first formally described by famous botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753[2] under its current binomial name.
Etymology
The Latin specific epithet nuda means "naked, bare", which refers to the distinct lack of hairs, also called trichomes, on its stems, which is typical of commonly known related species such as Nepeta cataria.
Description
A herbaceous perennial, typically grows up to 50–120 cm high.
Stems are multiple and erect, which together reach heights as mentioned above.
Leaves are oblong-obovate, oblong-elliptic to lanceolate, the adaxial side is greenish and sparsely puberulent or nearly hairless while the abaxial side is pale in color and pubescent, margin crenate or serrate.
Cymes are 5-11 flowered in narrow long panicles. Flowers bloom from July to September.
Fruits are in form of nutlets with the apex minutely tuberculate and sparsely hairy.[3]
Habitats
Xeric shrublands, forbs, grasslands below the forest zone, mountain basins, mountain ranges at elevations ranging from 1300 to 2400 meters above sea level.[3]
Subtaxa
The following subspecies are accepted:[1]
• Nepeta nuda subsp. nuda
• Nepeta nuda subsp. albiflora (Boiss.) Gams
• Nepeta nuda subsp. glandulifera ub.-Mor. & P.H.Davis
• Nepeta nuda subsp. lydiae P.H.Davis
Uses
Medicinal
Used mainly as a herbal tea, with a slightly pungent aroma described as "between citrus and peppermint". In traditional medicine, used to treat hysteria and melancholy and uterine cramps.[4] Aside from this, it's also used internally as a decoction against cystitis and prostate gland inflammation, and externally to treat wounds and against mastitis in livestock.[5]
As a natural herbicide
The species and its subspecies were tested for potential applications as a bioherbicide due to their genotoxic (corn seeds),[6] phytotoxic (wheat and cucumber)[7] and herbicidal (wheat, radish, lettuce, cress and purslane)[8] effects on various crops in form of essential oil or water extracts, in most cases delivering satisfactory results and being taken into consideration as a potential candidate for weed control.
References
- ^ a b "Nepeta nuda L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ^ Sp. Pl.: 570 (1753)
- ^ a b Nowak, Sylwia; Świerszcz, Sebastian; Wróbel, Anna; Dembicz, Iwona; Klichowska, Ewelina; Kusza, Grzegorz; Nowak, Arkadiusz; Nobis, Agnieszka; Nobis, Marcin, eds. (2020). Illustrated flora of Tajikistan and adjacent areas. Warsaw ; Cracow ; Opole: Polish Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden - Center for Biological Diversity Conservation : Polish Botanical Society. ISBN 978-83-938900-6-4. OCLC 1241616044.
- ^ Stamenković, V. and Stamenković, D. (2015). Our harmless plants, Grafičar, Leskovac. [in Serbian].
- ^ Kozuharova, Ekaterina; Benbassat, Niko; Getov, Ilko (2014-05-18). "ETHNOBOTANICAL RECORDS OF NOT YET DOCUMENTED THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF SOME POPULAR BULGARIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS". Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture: 647–651. doi:10.9755/ejfa.v26i7.18200. ISSN 2079-0538.
- ^ Gormez, Arzu; Bozari, Sedat; Yanmis, Derya; Gulluce, Medine; Agar, Guleray; Sahin, Fikrettin. "Antibacterial activity and chemical composition of essential oil obtained from Nepeta nuda against phytopathogenic bacteria". Journal of Essential Oil Research. 25 (2): 149–153. doi:10.1080/10412905.2012.751060. ISSN 1041-2905.
- ^ Dragoeva, Asya; Stoyanova, Zheni; Koleva, Vanya; Dragolova, Daniela (2017-03-01). "Allelopathic activity of Nepeta nuda L. subsp. nuda water extracts". Acta Scientifica Naturalis. 4 (1): 46–51. doi:10.1515/asn-2017-0007. ISSN 2367-5144.
- ^ Bozok, Fuat; Cenet, Menderes; Sezer, Gökhan; Ulukanli, Zeynep (2017-01-02). "Essential Oil and Bioherbicidal Potential of the Aerial Parts of Nepeta nuda subsp. albiflora (Lamiaceae)". Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants. 20 (1): 148–154. doi:10.1080/0972060X.2016.1264279. ISSN 0972-060X.
External links
Media related to Nepeta nuda at Wikimedia Commons