PlantaeDB Logo
Login Sign-up

Genus Agastache in Family Lamiaceae

In botanical taxonomy, a genus (plural genera) is a rank used to group closely related species within a family. In the hierarchy, genus sits below family and above species.

Genera are defined by shared morphological, anatomical, and genetic characteristics (for example, features of flowers, fruits, seeds, or leaves) that indicate a close evolutionary relationship among the species they contain.

Each genus can include one or more species. Examples include Rosa (roses) and Solanum (nightshades, including tomato and eggplant).

Do you wish to read more about plant taxonomy? Click here!

Genus Description

Suggest a correction!

Agastache (Clayton ex Gronov.) is a genus in Lamiaceae comprising roughly 22 species of aromatic herbs and subshrubs, with a primary distribution across North America and a single Asian outlier (A. rugosa in East Asia). Habitats span dry plains to montane slopes, from sea level to high elevations; the type species is typically cited as Agastache mexicana (L.) Kuntze, though usage has varied historically.

Diagnostic morphology centers on square stems bearing opposite, simple leaves, usually glabrous to short-pubescent, generally lacking spotlike glands. The inflorescence is a dense, bracteate spike or raceme of whorled, bilabiate flowers; the calyx is tubular-campanulate with prominent lobes, the lower lip notably extended; the corolla typically white to violet-blue, with a well-developed lower lip and upper lip reduced; the nutlets are smooth and 1–1.5 mm, shed at maturity. These features distinguish the genus from close relatives such as Monarda (which usually bears spotted calyces and a more open lip posture) and from members of the Satureja clade in a narrow sense.

Diversity and range: Species richness concentrates in western North America, with multiple endemics in the US Southwest and the Mexican highlands; A. rugosa extends the range into eastern Asia. Typical habitats include sagebrush steppe, pinyon–juniper woodlands, open slopes, and riparian corridors at moderate elevations, though some taxa occur from low deserts to subalpine meadows.

Intrinsic biology: Flowers are pollinated by bees and hummingbirds in numerous species; aromatic foliage confers foliar herbivory defense. Dispersal occurs by gravity and water movement of the small nutlets. Base chromosome number has been variously reported; a consensus base of x = 10 is supported by most modern surveys.

Taxonomy and phylogeny: Agastache is consistently recovered within Nepetoideae in Lamiaceae. Traditionally split into subgenera/sections (e.g., Agastache and Saxifragastache), those rank-based groupings show some discordance with phylogenies. Recent revisions synonymized several historical taxa under Agastache and clarified boundaries with Satureja s.l., with broad consensus treating Agastache as distinct from Satureja sensu stricto (Drew and Sytsma, 2012; Bräuchler and Heubl, 2010). Alternative broader treatments (e.g., Drew et al., 2016) include Agastache in a more expansive Satureja, but this remains contested. Standard databases treat Agastache as a separate genus (POWO, 2024; WFO, 2024; GBIF, 2024).

Human relevance: Widely cultivated ornamentals include A. rugosa, A. foeniculum, and A. urticifolia; A. foeniculum is used as a culinary herb (anise hyssop). Several taxa are popular in pollinator gardens and xeriscaping; occasional self-seeding occurs but it is not widely regarded as invasive.

Conservation and outlook: Many narrow endemics face habitat loss and climate stress; curated seed banks and refined taxonomy improve conservation planning. Continued phylogeographic work will clarify species limits and inform future management across its range.

Pick a Species to see its components: