Genus of plants
Prostanthera aspalathoides Prostanthera campbellii Prostanthera decussata Prostanthera grylloana Prostanthera hirtula Prostanthera lasianthos Prostanthera magnifica Prostanthera stenophylla Prostanthera striatiflora Prostanthera walteri Prostanthera mintbush ormint bush ,[ 2] genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the mintfamily Lamiaceae , and all areendemic to Australia. Plants are usually shrubs, rarely trees with leaves in opposite pairs. The flowers are arranged inpanicles in the leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets. Thesepals are joined at the base with two lobes. The petals are usually blue to purple or white, joined in a tube with two "lips", the lower lip with three lobes and the upper lip with two lobes or notched.
Plants in the genusProstanthera are usually shrubs or subshrubs, rarely trees, with leaves arranged in opposite pairs. The flowers are arranged in panicles in leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets withbracts andbracteoles at the base. The sepals are joined at the base but with two lobes. The petals form a tube with two lips, the lower lip with three, usually spreading lobes and the upper lip with two lobes or a notch at the tip. The petal tube is bluish purple to white or more or less red. There are fourstamens , theanthers often with a small appendage. Theovary has four lobes and the tip of thestigma has two branches.[ 2] [ 3] [ 4]
The genusProstanthera was first formally described in 1806 byJacques Labillardière in his bookNovae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen Prostanthera lasianthos [ 5] [ 6] anthers .[ 7]
Prostanthera species are used as food plants by thelarvae ofhepialid moths of the genusAenetus A. eximia andA. ligniveren .
Mint bushes are cultivated asornamentals and for essential oils and spices.[ 8] [ 9] [ 10]
The following is a list of species accepted at theAustralian Plant Census as at October 2025:[ 11]
Prostanthera albiflora B.J.Conn Prostanthera albohirta C.T.White Prostanthera althoferi B.J.Conn (W.A., N.T., S.A.)Prostanthera althoferi B.J.Conn subsp.althoferi (W.A.)Prostanthera althoferi subsp.longifolia B.J.Conn (N.T., S.A.)Prostanthera ammophila B.J.Conn (S.A.)Prostanthera arapilensis M.L.Williams ,Drinnan &N.G.Walsh Prostanthera askania B.J.Conn (N.S.W.) – tranquility mint-bushProstanthera aspalathoides A.Cunn. exBenth. Prostanthera athertoniana B.J.Conn &T.C.Wilson (Qld.)Prostanthera baxteri A.Cunn. ex Benth. (W.A.)Prostanthera behriana Schltdl. Prostanthera caerulea R.Br. Prostanthera calycina F.Muell. ex Benth.Prostanthera campbellii F.Muell. (W.A.)Prostanthera canaliculata F.Muell. (W.A.)Prostanthera carrickiana B.J.Conn (W.A.) – Carrick's mintbushProstanthera centralis B.J.Conn (W.A., N.T.)Prostanthera chlorantha (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Benth. (S.A.) – green mintbushProstanthera cineolifera R.T.Baker &H.G.Sm. Prostanthera clotteniana (F.M.Bailey.)A.R.Bean (Qld.)Prostanthera collina Domin Prostanthera conniana T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)Prostanthera crocodyloides T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)Prostanthera cruciflora J.H.Willis Prostanthera cryptandroides A.Cunn. ex Benth. (Qld., N.S.W.)- Wollemi mint-bushProstanthera cryptandroides A.Cunn. ex Benth. subsp.cryptandroides (N.S.W.) – Wollemi mint-bushProstanthera cryptandroides subsp.euphrasioides (Benth.) B.J.Conn (Qld., N.S.W.)Prostanthera cuneata Benth. (N.S.W.) – alpine mint-bushProstanthera decussata F.Muell. (N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic.) – dense mintbushProstanthera densa A.A.Ham. Prostanthera denticulata R.Br. (N.S.W., Vic.) – rough mint-bushProstanthera discolor R.T.Baker (N.S.W.)Prostanthera eckersleyana F.Muell. (W.A.) – crinkly mint-bushProstanthera elisabethae B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)Prostanthera eungella B.J.Conn &K.M.Proft (Qld.)Prostanthera eurybioides F.Muell. (S.A.) – Monarto mint-bushProstanthera ferricola B.J.Conn &K.A.Sheph. (W.A.)Prostanthera florifera B.J.Conn (S.A.) – Gawler Ranges mintbushProstanthera galbraithiae B.J.Conn (Vic.) – Wellington mint-bushProstanthera gilesii Althofer ex B.J.Conn & T.C.WilsonProstanthera granitica Maiden &Betche Prostanthera grylloana F.Muell. (W.A.)Prostanthera hindii B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)Prostanthera hirtula F.Muell. ex Benth. (N.S.W., Vic.)Prostanthera howelliae Blakely Prostanthera incana A.Cunn. ex Benth. (N.S.W., Vic.) - velvet mint-bushProstanthera incisa R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.) – cut-leaved mint-bushProstanthera incurvata B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera junonis B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)Prostanthera lanceolata Domin (N.S.W.)Prostanthera laricoides B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera lasianthos Labill. Prostanthera linearis R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W.) – narrow-leaved mint-bushProstanthera lithospermoides F.Muell. (Qld.)Prostanthera magnifica C.A.Gardner Prostanthera makinsonii B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)Prostanthera marifolia R.Br. (N.S.W.) – Seaforth mint-bushProstanthera megacalyx C.T.White &W.D.Francis (Qld.)Prostanthera melissifolia F.Muell. (N.S.W., Vic.) – balm mint-bushProstanthera monticola B.J.Conn (N.S.W., Vic.) – monkey mint-bush, buffalo mint-bushProstanthera mulliganensis B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (Qld.)Prostanthera nanophylla B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera nivea A.Cunn. ex Benth. (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.) – snowy mint-bushProstanthera nivea var.induta Benth. (N.S.W.)Prostanthera nivea A.Cunn. ex Benth. var.nivea (N.S.W., Vic.)Prostanthera nudula J.M.Black exE.L.Robertson Prostanthera oleoides T.C.Wilson & B.J.Conn (Qld.)Prostanthera ovalifolia R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.) – mint bushProstanthera palustris B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)Prostanthera parvifolia Domin (Qld.)Prostanthera patens B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera pedicellata B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera petraea B.J.Conn (Qld., N.S.W.)Prostanthera petrophila B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera phylicifolia F.Muell. (Qld., N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic.) – spiked mint-bushProstanthera porcata B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)Prostanthera prostantheroides (F.Muell.) T.C.Wilson,M.J.Henwood & B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera prunelloides R.Br. (N.S.W.)Prostanthera rhombea R.Br. (N.S.W., Vic.) - sparkling mint-bushProstanthera ringens Benth. (Qld., N.S.W.) – gaping mint-bushProstanthera rotundifolia R.Br. (N.S.W., Vic., Tas.) – round-leaf mint-bushProstanthera rugosa A.Cunn. ex Benth. (N.S.W.)Prostanthera saxicola R.Br. (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.)Prostanthera saxicola var.bracteolata J.H.Willis (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.)Prostanthera saxicola var.major Benth. (Qld., N.S.W.)Prostanthera saxicola var.montana A.A.Ham. (N.S.W.)Prostanthera saxicola R.Br. var.saxicola (N.S.W.)Prostanthera schultzii F.Muell. exTate (N.T.)Prostanthera scutata C.A.Gardner (W.A.)Prostanthera scutellarioides (R.Br.)Briq. (N.S.W.)Prostanthera sejuncta M.L.Williams, Drinnan & N.G.Walsh (N.S.W.)Prostanthera semiteres B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera semiteres subsp.intricata B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera semiteres B.J.Conn subsp.semiteres (W.A.)Prostanthera sericea (J.M.Black) B.J.Conn (W.A., N.T., S.A.)Prostanthera serpyllifolia (R.Br.) Briq. (W.A., S.A., N.S.W., Vic.) – small-leaved mint-bushProstanthera serpyllifolia subsp.microphylla (R.Br.) B.J.Conn (N.S.W., S.A., Vic., W.A.)Prostanthera serpyllifolia (R.Br.) Briq. subsp.serpyllifolia (S.A., W.A.)Prostanthera spathulata T.C.Wilson & B.J.Conn (Qld.)Prostanthera spinosa F.Muell. (S.A., Vic.) – spiny mint-bushProstanthera splendens B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera staurophylla F.Muell. (N.S.W.)Prostanthera stenophylla B.J.Conn (N.S.W.)Prostanthera striatiflora F.Muell. (W.A., N.T., S.A., N.S.W.)Prostanthera stricta R.T.Baker (N.S.W.) – Mount Vincent mint-bushProstanthera suborbicularis C.T.White & W.D.Francis (Qld.)Prostanthera tallowa B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (N.S.W.)Prostanthera teretifolia Maiden & Betche (N.S.W.) – turpentine mint-bushProstanthera tozerana B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson (Qld.)Prostanthera tysoniana (Carrick ) B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera verticillaris B.J.Conn (W.A.)Prostanthera violacea R.Br. (N.S.W.) – violet mint-bushProstanthera walteri F.Muell. (N.S.W., Vic.) – blotchy mint-bushProstanthera wilkieana F.Muell. (W.A., N.T., S.A.)^a b "Prostanthera " . Australian Plant Census. Retrieved19 August 2020 .^a b Conn, Barry J.; Murray, Louisa."GenusProstanthera " . Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved19 August 2020 . ^ Conn, Barry J."Prostanthera " . Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved19 August 2020 . ^ "Prostanthera " .FloraBase Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions .^ "Prostanthera " . APNI. Retrieved19 August 2020 .^ Labillardière, Jacques (1806).Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen 18– 19. Retrieved19 August 2020 . ^ Les Robinson,Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney ,ISBN 978-0-7318-1211-0 ^ RHS A–Z encyclopedia of garden plants . United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136.ISBN 978-1405332965 ^ Althofer, G.W. (1978).Cradle of Incense: The Story of Australian Prostanthera . New South Wales: Society for Growing Australian Plants.OCLC 13244976 . ^ Sadgrove NJ, Padilla-González GF, Telford IR, Greatrex BW, Jones GL, Andrew R, Bruhl JJ, Langat MK, Melnikovova I, Fernandez-Cusimamani E (2020)."Prostanthera (Lamiaceae) as a 'Cradle of Incense': Chemophenetics of Rare Essential Oils from Both New and Forgotten Australian 'Mint Bush' Species" .Plants .9 (11): 1570.doi :10.3390/plants9111570 PMC 7696040 PMID 33202983 . ^ "Prostanthera " . Australian Plant Census. Retrieved12 October 2025 .
