Prostanthera crocodyloides

Prostanthera crocodyloides commonly known as crocodile mint,^[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an upright, aromatic shrub with mauve flowers.

Crocodile mint
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Prostanthera
Species:	P. crocodyloides
Binomial name
Prostanthera crocodyloides T.C.Wilson[1]

Description

Prostanthera crocodyloides is an open, semi-upright to climbing woody shrub to about 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high. Smaller branches are yellowish green, thickly covered in short, upright and bent hairs to 0.5 mm (0.020 in) long. Leaves are narrowly oval to egg-shaped, 7–24 mm (0.28–0.94 in) long, 1–5 mm (0.039–0.197 in) wide, mid-green, stiff, tooth-like green hairs to 0.3 mm (0.012 in) long and longer hairs along the margin. The mauve flowers are borne in leaf axils, pedicel 1–2.1 mm (0.039–0.083 in) long, calyx tube 1.4–1.9 mm (0.055–0.075 in) long, upper lobe 2.7–3.4 mm (0.11–0.13 in) long, lower lobe 2.7–3.4 mm (0.11–0.13 in) long and corolla 8.5–15 mm (0.33–0.59 in) long.^[3][4]

Taxonomy and naming

Prostanthera crocodyloides was first formally described in 2019 by Trevor Wilson and the description was published in Telopea.^[4]The specific epithet (crocodyloides) refers to 'several crocodilian-like qualities on the leaves'.^[4]

Distribution and habitat

Crocodile mint grows on slopes, heathy scrubland and woodland in New South Wales.^[3]