| Nepeta | |
|---|---|
| |
| Nepeta cataria – "true catnip" | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Subfamily: | Nepetoideae |
| Tribe: | Mentheae |
| Genus: | Nepeta L. (1753) |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Nepeta is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The genus name, from Latin nepeta (“catnip”), is reportedly in reference to Nepete, an ancient Etruscan city.[2] There are 295 accepted species.[1]
The genus is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, and has also naturalized in North America.[3]
Some members of this group are known as catnip or catmint because of their effect on house cats – the nepetalactone contained in some Nepeta species binds to the olfactory receptors of cats, typically resulting in temporary euphoria.[4]
- ^ a b Nepeta L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ Missouri Botanical Garden: Nepeta × faassenii. Accessed January 10, 2013
- ^ Leon L. Bram (1983). Robert S. Phillips, Norma H. Dickey (ed.). Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. ISBN 978-0-8343-0051-4.
- ^ Herron, Scott (2003). "Catnip, Nepeta cataria, a Morphological Comparison of Mutant and Wild Type Specimens to Gain an Ethnobotanical Perspective". Economic Botany. 57 (1): 135–142. doi:10.1663/0013-0001(2003)057[0135:cncamc]2.0.co;2. S2CID 29287116.