Nepeta nepetella
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Lamiaceae - Nepeta nepetella.JPG
| image_caption = Nepeta nepetella at Orto Botanico dell'Università di Genova
| genus = Nepeta
| species = nepetella
| authority = L.
| synonyms = *Cataria nepetella (L.) Moench
- Glechoma nepetella (L.) Kuntze
- Nepeta aragonensis Lam.
- Nepeta amethystina Desf. ex Poir.
- Nepeta civitiana Pau
- Nepeta ceballosii Vicioso & Pau
- Nepeta almeriensis Sennen
- Nepeta hieronymi Sennen
- Nepeta murcica Guirão ex Willk.
- Nepeta imbricata Lag. ex Spreng.
- Nepeta mallophora Webb & Heldr.
- Nepeta angustifolia Mill.
- Nepeta lanceolata Lam.
- Nepeta graveolens Vill.
- Nepeta humilis Salisb.
- Nepeta arragonensis Benth.
- Nepeta delphinensis Mutel
- Nepeta longicaulis Dufour
- Cataria tenuifolia Bubani
- Nepeta catalaunica Sennen
}}
Nepeta nepetella, common name lesser cat-mint,{{BSBI 2007 |access-date=2014-10-17 }} is a low-growing species of catnip belonging to the family Lamiaceae. It is native to France, Spain, Italy, Algeria, and Morocco.[http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=134823 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant families]{{Cite web|url=http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index1.php?scientific-name=nepeta+nepetella|title=Nepeta nepetella [Gattaia minore] - Flora Italiana|website=luirig.altervista.org}}
- Nepeta nepetella subsp. aragonensis (Lam.) Nyman - Spain, Algeria, Morocco
- Nepeta nepetella subsp. laciniata (Willk.) Aedo - Sierra Nevada of southern Spain
- Nepeta nepetella subsp. murcica (Guirão ex Willk.) Aedo - Morocco, southern Spain
- Nepeta nepetella subsp. nepetella - Pyrenees, western Alps, + Apennines of Spain, France, Italy
Description
Nepeta nepetella can reach a height of {{convert|40|-|80|cm}}. This perennial very variable plant has usually green crenate leaves and produces in summer spikes with bluish-violet small flowers about {{convert|1|-|1.2|cm}} long.{{Cite web|url=https://www.alpinegardensociety.net/|title=Home|website=Alpine Garden Society}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id512246/|title=BioLib: Biological library|first=Ondrej|last=Zicha|website=www.biolib.cz}}
Uses
Nepetella, as it is commonly called (other names include nepeta, nepitella) is used in Tuscan cooking, often for mushrooms and artichokes.{{cite web |title=Nepetella |url=https://www.ortoricci.it/index.php/en/products/nepetella-en |website=www.ortoricci.it |access-date=13 May 2020}}{{cite web |title=Mentuccia, nepetella o nepitella? Facciamo un po' di chiarezza |url=https://www.valfrutta.it/magazine/mentuccia-nepetella-o-nepitella-facciamo-un-po-di-chiarezza/ |website=Valfrutta |access-date=14 May 2020 |language=it}} Due to the difficulty in obtaining nepetella, many recipes have been rewritten to contain oregano and mint.