Prostanthera cryptandroides

Prostanthera cryptandroides is a mint bush, found in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. The habitat is rocky areas in dry eucalyptus woodland. The pleasant mint fragrance is from aromatic oils within their leaves, such as oil of cineol.[1]

Wollemi mint bush
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Prostanthera
Species:
P. cryptandroides
Binomial name
Prostanthera cryptandroides

The Wollemi mint bush occurs in a few sites, such as within Wollemi National Park. Near Glen Davis it grows in association with the red ironbark, on soils derived from the Narrabeen group of sedimentary rocks.[2] The fragmented populations of this rare species are threatened by wildfires.[3]

This particularly fragrant shrub grows up to two metres tall, though most often it is around one metre tall and wide. Leaves are a pale green, 5 to 9 mm long, 1 to 3 mm wide. The shape of the plant shows wide spreading branches. Branches may be stained by a sooty mould. Attractive pink or lilac flowers form in the warmer months of the year, though flowering may occur sporadically. The original specimen was collected by the explorer Allan Cunningham.

Two varieties are recognised:

References
  1. "Norm McCarthy, Prostanthera - The Mint Bushes". Australian Plants Online.
  2. "Prostanthera cryptandroides". PlantNET - NSW Flora Online. Retrieved 2010-04-07.
  3. "Prostanthera cryptandroides". NSW Threatened Species.
  4. "Prostanthera cryptandroides" (PDF). National Parks and Wildlife Service of NSW, Environmental Impact Assessment Guidelines.
  5. "Prostanthera cryptandroides var. euphrasioides". PlantNET - NSW Flora Online. Retrieved 2010-04-07.


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