Acanthomintha ilicifolia

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Lamiales

Familia: Lamiaceae
Subfamilia: Nepetoideae
Tribus: Mentheae
Subtribus: Menthinae
Genus: Acanthomintha
Species: Acanthomintha ilicifolia
Name

Acanthomintha ilicifolia A.Gray, Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 2(1): 365 (1878).
Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Northern America
Regional: Southwestern USA
California (SW. San Diego Co.)
Regional: Mexico
Mexico (N. Baja California)

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Gray, A. 1878. Synoptical Flora of North America. Vol. II. Part I. Gamopetalae after Compositae. 402 pp. American Book Company, New York. BHL Reference page. : 365

Additional references

Govaerts, R.H.A. 1995. World Checklist of Seed Plants 1(1, 2). 483, 529 pp. MIM, Deurne. ISBN 90-341-0852-X (issue 1) ISBN 90-341-0853-8 (issue 2). Reference page.
Govaerts, R.H.A. 2003. World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Database in ACCESS: 1-216203. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [unavailable for the public] Reference page.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Acanthomintha ilicifolia in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2020 April 5. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2020. Acanthomintha ilicifolia. Published online. Accessed: 5 April 2020.

Vernacular names
English: San Diego thornmint

Acanthomintha ilicifolia, known by the common name San Diego thornmint, is a rare species of flowering plant in the mint family. It is native to Baja California and San Diego County, California, where it is a resident of the chaparral and coastal sage scrub plant communities and vernal pools.

Acanthomintha ilicifolia has been extirpated from many of the sites where it was previously noted in San Diego County. It is a federally listed threatened species in the United States. This species is also listed as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act which means that killing or possessing the plants is prohibited within California unless authorized by the California Department of Fish and Game.
Description
Acanthomintha ilicifolia is a petite annual herb growing up to about 15 centimeters in maximum height. It has rounded to oval serrated leaves up to 1.5 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a cluster of flowers with oval-shaped bracts nearly a centimeter long which are edged with long spines. Each flower is about a centimeter wide and white, often tinted purple to pink, with a hooded upper lip and a slightly longer lower lip.