# "Lindernia anagallis" = Clinopodium brownei?



## miremonster

Hello, 
there's a stem plant with strong minty smell, available without any name in the aquarium trade here in Germany. Now it's flowering in emersed culture, and I'm now sure that it's the same as the plant traded as "Lindernia anagallis".
I believe it isn't a Lindernia at all but _Clinopodium brownei _(= Micromeria brownei, Satureja brownei, "Creeping Mint Charlie"), family Lamiaceae, native to the southern / southeastern U.S., Mexico and Central America.
Pics of my plant: 

















































Here's a description and drawing of Lindernia anagallis, a common weed in Asia from India and China to Australia:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200020715

E.g., true L. anagallis is described as glabrous while the "L. anagallis" in the aquarium hobby is often hairy. There are several dfferences in flower characters.

Till now I didn't found an exact description of Clinopodium brownei. 
Perhaps Cavan or someone else could test my guess. 
See also this thread: http://forum.aquatic-gardeners.org/viewtopic.php?t=193&sid=1b2d2c2169a42c38fb82039dd470fa7b 
and these pics:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/lsl/Mints/micromeria/micrbro.jpg
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Photo.aspx?id=3985

EDIT: My plant is also similar to Clinopodium (or Satureja or Micromeria) douglasii (Yerba buena) from western N.America, available as an ornamental in Germany.


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## Cavan Allen

Funny you should mention this... 

I got some _Clinopodium brownei_ (still labeled as _Micromeria_) a few months ago. It looked very much like the plant in your photographs. I put in in my tank beside some supposed _L. anagallis_ and...now I can't tell it apart! It even smells the same. I think there's a very, very good chance you're right.

I can't post it here because it's copyrighted material, but I do have a good description and botanical illustration here. Tomorrow I'll scan it and will send it if you PM me your e-mail. From there, you can make the determination. Sound good?


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## miremonster

Hello Cavan,
sounds very good 
Thank You, I'll PM You my e-mail!
Heiko


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## Cavan Allen

I took some photos of specimens filed as _Lindernia anagallis_. Terrible pictures, yes, but all I could do with my phone camera. As you can see, there is considerable variation in the leaf shape. None are what I'd call mildly crenate, as the description on e-floras states. Note the very long pedicels.


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## miremonster

These specimens look very different indeed, the 1st has distinct inflorescences. The 2nd with the axillar flowers seems to match more the description of L. anagallis in the online "Flora of China". 

Now I've compared my plant with the description and illustration of Clinopodium brownei, it's very close, but I'm not yet sure... I'll mail You my results soon.


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## Cavan Allen

Hmm.. I'm not sure the first photo is really representative of all of the ones that looked like that (some of it may have had axilary flowers), but I'll see when I get back. I'm looking forward to seeing what you find.


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