Mentha Viridis. Spearmint.
Related entry: Pennyroyal - Peppermint - Oil of Spearmint
Synonym.—Mint.
Spearmint consists of the dried leaves and flowering tops of Mentha viridis, Linn. (N.O. Labiatae), a native of Europe and Asia, widely cultivated for domestic use. The drug is official in the U.S.P. The plant closely resembles peppermint, but the leaves are usually sessile and lanceolate, the flower spikes are usually slender, and the stamens rather long. Odour, strong and characteristic; taste, bitter and less pungent than that of peppermint.
Constituents.—The chief constituent of spearmint is the volatile oil (see Oleum Menthae Viridis).
Action and Uses.—Spearmint resembles peppermint in its properties, but its flavour is less agreeable in medicines.
Dose.—2 to 4 grammes (30 to 60 grains).
