View source for Biology:Agastache

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}
{{Automatic taxobox
|image = Hoverfly_on_Agastache_Blue_Fortune.jpg
|image_caption = ''Agastache'' hybrid 'Blue Fortune'
|display_parents = 2
|taxon = Agastache
|authority = Gronov.
|diversity = 22 species
|diversity_link =
|synonyms_ref = <ref name=r/>
|synonyms =
''Brittonastrum'' <small>Briq.</small><br/>
''Flessera'' <small>Adans.</small><br/>
''Dekinia'' <small>M.Martens & Galeotti</small><br/>
''Lophanthus'' <small>Benth.<!-- 1829 --> ''non'' Adans.: [[Biology:Lophanthus|preoccupied]]<!-- 1763, non J.R. Forst. & G. Forst.1775 --></small>
}}
[[Image:Agastache rupestris2 lg.jpg|thumb|''Agastache rupestris'' in bloom.]]

'''''Agastache''''' ({{IPAc-en|,|æ|g|ə|'|s|t|ɑː|k|iː|}}) is a [[Biology:Genus|genus]] of aromatic flowering [[Biology:Herbaceous plant|herbaceous]] perennial plants in the family [[Biology:Lamiaceae|Lamiaceae]]. It contains 22 [[Biology:Species|species]], mainly [[Earth:Native plant|native]] to [[Earth:North America|North America]], one species native to eastern [[Earth:Asia|Asia]]. The common names of the species are a variety of fairly ambiguous and confusing "hyssops" and "[[Biology:Mentha|mints]]"; as a whole the genus is known as '''giant hyssops''' or '''hummingbird mints'''.<ref name=r>{{WCSP|4441|Agastache}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|page=1136}}</ref><ref>{{eFloras|2|100780|Agastache rugosa |first1=Xi-wen |last1=Li |first2=Ian C. |last2=Hedge |volume=17}}</ref><ref name=j>{{cite web |url=http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/floranam.php?genere=agastache |title=Genus: ''Agastache'' |website=Altervista Flora of North America}}</ref>

Most species are very upright, 0.5–3 m tall, with stiff, angular stems clothed in toothed-edged, lance shaped leaves ranging from 1–15&nbsp;cm long and 0.5–11&nbsp;cm broad depending on the species. Upright spikes of tubular, two-lipped flowers develop at the stem tips in summer. The flowers are usually white, pink, mauve, or purple, with the bracts that back the flowers being of the same or a slightly contrasting color.

==Systematics and taxonomy==
''Agastache'' derives from the [[Social:Ancient Greek|Ancient Greek]] words {{lang|grc|ἄγαν}} ({{grc-tr|ἄγαν}}) "very much" and {{wikt-lang|grc|στάχυς}} ({{grc-tr|στάχυς}}) "ear of grain",<ref>{{LSJ|a)/gan|ἄγαν}} and {{LSJ|sta/xus|στάχυς|ref}}</ref> describing the flower spikes.<ref>{{NPIN |AGFO |access-date=2018-08-08}}</ref> The genus was established in 1762 by Jan Frederik Gronovius in the second edition of his controversial ''Flora Virginica'', based on the specimens and notes of John Clayton. It is a member of subfamily [[Biology:Nepetoideae|Nepetoideae]], which contains a large proportion of the world's aromatic culinary herbs. Within its subfamily, it belongs to the [[Biology:Mentha|mint]] [[Biology:Tribe|tribe]] ([[Biology:Mentheae|Mentheae]]), and therein to the [[Biology:Nepeta|catmint]] [[Biology:Subtribe|subtribe]]<ref>Formerly treated as tribe Nepeteae: Sanders (1987).</ref> (Nepetinae). The Nepetinae are robustly supported by cladistic analyses of [[Biology:Morphology|morphological]] and DNA sequence data, and were recognized as early as  the mid-late 19th century.<ref name = sanders1987>{{cite journal|last=Sanders|first=Roger W.|year=1987|title=Taxonomy of ''Agastache'' Section ''Brittonastrum'' (Lamiaceae-Nepeteae)|journal=Syst. Bot. Monogr.|volume=15|pages=1–92|doi=10.2307/25027677|jstor=25027677 }} (HTML abstract)</ref><ref name=SNW>{{cite book|last=Wiese|first=Karen|year=2013|title=Sierra Nevada Wildflowers|edition=2nd|page=72}}</ref><ref name = kewgenus>{{cite web|author=Kew Interactive Key to the Genera of Lamiaceae|url=http://www.kew.org/herbarium/keys/lamiales/key/Interactive%20key%20to%20the%20genera%20of%20Lamiaceae/Media/Html/Agastache_J._Clayton_ex_Gronov.htm|title=''Agastache'' J. Clayton ex Gronov.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105173719/http://www.kew.org/herbarium/keys/lamiales/key/Interactive%20key%20to%20the%20genera%20of%20Lamiaceae/Media/Html/Agastache_J._Clayton_ex_Gronov.htm|archive-date=2016-11-05}}</ref>

[[File:Agastache nepetoides drawing.png|thumb|left|''Agastache nepetoides'' anatomy; note the curving stamen stalks typical of ''Agastache'' sect. ''Agastache'']]
The closest living relatives of ''Agastache'' are believed to be two very different lineages: One is a group of mostly Asian and usually strongly aromatic and rather robust plants, which contains the typical dragonheads (''Dracocephalum''), true hyssops (''[[Biology:Hyssopus (plant)|Hyssopus]]''), West Asian dragonheads (''[[Biology:Lallemantia|Lallemantia]]''), and Japanese catnip (''[[Biology:Schizonepeta|Schizonepeta]]''). By contrast, the other lineage unites the largely scentless and low-growing genera ''[[Biology:Glechoma|Glechoma]]'' and ''[[Biology:Meehania|Meehania]]'' which occur widely across the [[Biology:Holarctic|Holarctic]]. These three lineages form a tight-knit radiation; as of 2016, it is not resolved with certainty which of the other two lineages is the sister taxon of ''Agastache'', but most data place the aromatic group slightly closer. The genus ''Agastache'' seems to have originated as a North American/trans-Beringian offshoot of its radiation about 25 million years ago, in the Late Oligocene.<ref name =d&s2012>{{cite journal|last1=Drew|first1=Bryan T.|last2=Sytsma|first2=Kennet J.|year=2012|title=Phylogenetics, biogeography, and staminal evolution in the tribe Mentheae (Lamiaceae)|journal=Am. J. Bot.|volume=99|issue=5|pages=933–953|doi=10.3732/ajb.1100549|pmid=22539517|url=http://www.botany.wisc.edu/sytsma/pdf/DrewSytsma2012.pdf|access-date=2020-07-01|archive-date=2013-01-07|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20130107223055/http://www.botany.wisc.edu/sytsma/pdf/DrewSytsma2012.pdf|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Deng|first=Tao|display-authors=0|year=2015|title=Does the Arcto-Tertiary Biogeographic Hypothesis Explain the Disjunct Distribution of Northern Hemisphere Herbaceous Plants? The Case of ''Meehania'' (Lamiaceae)|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=10|issue=2|page=e0117171|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0117171|pmid=25658699 |pmc=4319762 |bibcode=2015PLoSO..1017171D |doi-access=free }} (Fulltext)</ref>

The sister group of this clade is the core of the Nepetinae, the more or less robust and typically aromatic catmints (''[[Biology:Nepeta|Nepeta]]'') and their close relatives<ref>''[[Biology:Drepanocaryum|Drepanocaryum]], [[Biology:Hymenocrater|Hymenocrater]], [[Biology:Lophanthus|Lophanthus]], [[Biology:Marmoritis|Marmoritis]]'': {{harvnb|Drew|Sytsma|2012}}</ref> which occur mainly in and around western Asia. The monotypic and highly distinct ''[[Biology:Cedronella|Cedronella]]'' (Canary balm) of Macaronesia is slightly more distant and seems to be a basal [[Biology:Relict|relict]] within the subtribe. Thus, the last common ancestor of ''Agastache'' and its closest relatives probably was an aromatic Eastern Asian [[Biology:Perennial plant|perennial]] or [[Biology:Subshrub|subshrub]] with verticillasters of bluish-purple flowers &ndash; i.e. generally very similar to the present-day ''Agastache'' already. The plesiomorphic appearance of ''Agastache'' is underscored by the fact that some of its species were formerly placed in ''[[Biology:Lophanthus|Lophanthus]]'' and even ''Cedronella''; essentially, the genus as recognized today was distributed piecemeal across the entire Nepetinae. In general, the [[Biology:Evolution|evolution]]ary pattern of the subtribe is a mostly eastward expansion from an origin in the southern or the eastern Mediterranean region, which spread across much of the [[Earth:Old World|Old World]] and with three genera reached North America.<ref name =d&s2012 />

''Agastache'' is divided into two [[Biology:Section (botany)|section]]s, sect. ''Agastache'' and sect. ''Brittonastrum''. The former occurs in and around western to central [[Earth:North America|North America]], extending across the Bering Strait into [[Place:East Asia|East Asia]]. It is characterized by the upper lip of the corolla being small, causing the stalks of the [[Biology:Stamen|stamina]] to protrude widely. Furthermore, two of the four stamina have curving stalks, which cross those of the other pair. Section ''Brittonastrum'' is found in and around southwestern North America, with the highest diversity in the uplands of northern Mexico. Its members have a more well-developed upper corolla lip, under which the stamina run parallel to each other without crossing, and are entirely hidden from view or only protrude with the anthers and stalk tips.<ref name = kewgenus />

==Cultivation and uses==
They are easily grown in moist, well-drained soil and prefer a sunny position. Winter hardiness varies; the hardiest is ''[[Biology:Agastache foeniculum|A. foeniculum]]'', hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 1 in the north of its range; ''[[Biology:Agastache nepetoides|A. nepetoides]]'', ''[[Biology:Agastache rugosa|A. rugosa]]'', ''[[Biology:Agastache scrophulariifolia|A. scrophulariifolia]]'' and ''[[Biology:Agastache urticifolia|A. urticifolia]]'' are hardy to zones 3–5 in the northern parts of their ranges. Propagate from seed or cuttings. Popular cultivars include ''[[Biology:Agastache cana|A. cana]]'' 'Heather Queen'. The cultivar 'Blue Fortune'<ref>{{cite web|url=
https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/109004/Agastache-Blue-Fortune/Details |title=RHS Plant Selector Agastache 'Blue Fortune' AGM / RHS Gardening |publisher=Apps.rhs.org.uk |date= |access-date=12 March 2020}}</ref> has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Leaf tips can be eaten and made into teas. ''Agastache rugosa'' has a history of use in [[Unsolved:Chinese herbology|Chinese herbology]].

==Species==
The [[Biology:Section (botany)|section]]s with their [[Biology:Species|species]] are:<ref name=r/><ref name=j/>

;''Agastache'' sect. ''Agastache'' &ndash; typical giant hyssops
* ''[[Biology:Agastache cusickii|Agastache cusickii]]'' <small>(Greenm.) A.Heller</small> – Cusick's giant hyssop. NW USA (Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada)
* ''[[Biology:Agastache foeniculum|Agastache foeniculum]]'' <small>(Pursh) Kuntze</small> (= ''A. anethiodora, A. anisata'') – lavender giant hyssop, anise hyssop, etc. Widespread from Arctic Canada to Colorado and Kentucky; naturalized in Austria
* ''[[Biology:Agastache nepetoides|Agastache nepetoides]]'' <small>(L.) Kuntze</small> – yellow giant hyssop. Eastern North America from southern Ontario and southern Quebec south to Oklahoma and Georgia
* ''[[Biology:Agastache occidentalis|Agastache occidentalis]]'' <small>(Piper) A.Heller</small> – western giant hyssop. Washington, Oregon
* ''[[Biology:Agastache parvifolia|Agastache parvifolia]]'' <small>Eastw.</small> – small-leaf giant hyssop. Northern California
* ''[[Biology:Agastache rugosa|Agastache rugosa]]'' <small>(Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Kuntze</small> – wrinkled giant hyssop, Korean mint, etc. Southeastern Russia (Primoriye, Khabarovsk), Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan; naturalized in Laos and Vietnam
* ''[[Biology:Agastache scrophulariifolia|Agastache scrophulariifolia]]'' <small>(Willd.) Kuntze</small> – purple giant hyssop. Eastern North America from southern Ontario and South Dakora south to Georgia
* ''[[Biology:Agastache urticifolia|Agastache urticifolia]]'' <small>(Benth.) Kuntze</small> – nettle-leaf giant hyssop, horsemint; Western North America from British Columbia south to California and Colorado
[[File:Agastache aurantiaca (10498944733).jpg|thumb|right|''Agastache aurantiaca'' flowers; note stamina hidden within corolla for most of their length]] 
;''Agastache'' sect. ''Brittonastrum'' &ndash; hummingbird mints
* ''Agastache aurantiaca'' <small>(A.Gray) Lint & Epling</small> – orange hummingbird mint. Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango)
* ''Agastache breviflora'' <small>(A.Gray) Epling</small> – Trans-Pecos giant hyssop. Northern Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora), SW USA (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas)
* ''[[Biology:Agastache cana|Agastache cana]]'' <small>(Hook.) Wooton & Standl.</small> – Texas hummingbird mint, mosquito plant, etc. SW USA (New Mexico, Western Texas)
* ''Agastache coccinea'' <small>(Greene) Lint & Epling</small> – red hummingbird mint. Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango)
* ''Agastache eplingiana'' <small>R.W.Sanders</small> – Epling's giant hyssop. Mexico (Durango)
* ''Agastache mearnsii'' <small>Wooton & Standl.</small> – San Luis Mountain giant hyssop. New Mexico, Chihuahua, Sonora
* ''[[Biology:Agastache mexicana|Agastache mexicana]]'' <small>(Kunth) Lint & Epling</small> – Mexican giant hyssop. Widespread across much of Mexico
* ''Agastache micrantha'' <small>(A.Gray) Wooton & Standl.</small> – white giant hyssop. Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Chihuahua
* ''Agastache pallida'' <small>(Lindl.) Cory</small> (= ''A. barberi'') - pale giant hyssop, giant hummingbird mint. Northern Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Sonora), southwestern USA (Arizona)
* ''[[Biology:Agastache pallidiflora|Agastache pallidiflora]]'' <small>(A.Heller) Rydb.</small> – New Mexico giant hyssop, Bill Williams Mountain giant hyssop. Northern Mexico (Chihuahua), Southwestern USA (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, western Texas)
* ''Agastache palmeri'' <small>(B.L.Rob.) Standl.</small> – Palmer's giant hyssop. Central + northeastern Mexico
* ''Agastache pringlei'' <small>(Briq.) Lint & Epling</small> – Pringle's giant hyssop, Organ Mountains giant hyssop. Northern Mexico (Chihuahua), southwestern USA (New Mexico)
* ''[[Biology:Agastache rupestris|Agastache rupestris]]'' <small>(Greene) Standl.</small> – threadleaf giant hyssop, licorice mint. Arizona, New Mexico
* ''[[Biology:Agastache wrightii|Agastache wrightii]]'' <small>(Greenm.) Wooton & Standl.</small> – Sonoran giant hyssop. Arizona, New Mexico, Chihuahua, Sonora

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Agastache+foeniculum Plants for a Future]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2020837}}

[[Category:Agastache| ]]
[[Category:Lamiaceae genera]]

{{Sourceattribution|Agastache}}