Clinopodium brownei Brown's savory

Browne's savory

This still little known stem plant is native to the southeastern U. S. and wide parts of Central and South America. Browne's savory normally grows as terrestrial plant in moist to swampy habitats, forming long, creeping shoots with white to mauve flowers. It is also able to thrive under water where the stems grow upright and little branched. Clinopodium brownei smells like peppermint, which is why it is also called Mint Charlie or Florida Water Mint. It belongs to the family Lamiaceae as well as the true mints (Mentha). The plant somewhat resembles the unrelated Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia). The light green, roundish to slightly heart-shaped leaf blades are 1.5 to 2.5 cm long with an up to 1 cm long stalk. They are arranged in pairs along the quadrangular stem. Clinopododium brownei got known in the aquarium hobby more than 10 years ago under the erroneous name "Lindernia anagallis" and was later correctly determined. Until now it is only occasionally available in trade. Generally Clinopodium brownei is an easy aquarium plant; it grows well with medium lighting and soft to medium hard water. However its macronutrient demand is relatively high. Nutrient problems may lead to malformed leaves. Under favourable conditions it grows quite fast. As well as other stem plants, it is easily propagated by cuttings. Stems that have become long tend to many water roots that can be cut off if they are not desired. With its upright stems and light-green foliage, Browne's savory looks best as a group in the midground to background, contrasting well with dark green and brown-red plants. Clinopodium brownei also grows easily in its terrestrial form in moist bottom and should be interesting for paludariums and Wabi-Kusa. During the warmer months it can also be used outdoors as a hanging plant where it is adorned with its small, white and mauve flowers. This rather little known stem plant was brought into trade under the erroneous name "Lindernia anagallis" probably in Japan, and it was also spread among hobbyists in the USA. In Europe. It is also quite frequently sold in Europe since at least 2009. It resembles the true Lindernia anagallis from tropical and subtropical Asia but it is Clinopodium brownei, Browne's savory, from the Americas. Its species identity was initially uncertain, therefore its name was written Clinopodium cf. brownei. This species, also known as Micromeria brownei, is found as terrestrial and wetland plant in moist to wet locations in the US states along the Gulf of Mexico, as well as in vast parts of Central and South America. It is placed in the same genus as the Wild basil, Clinopodium vulgare, that occurs in dry places in Europe. Clinopodium brownei effuses a strong peppermint smell when bruised. Its stems are tetragonal, the alternate leaves have a stalk and are widely ovate, their margin notched. They have an about 1.5 to 2.5 cm long leaf blade on a ca. 1 cm long petiole. All in all, the plant looks a bit like moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia), however, the latter has an entire margin, not a notched one, and it does not smell of mint.

Flowgrow

Light green stem plant from North to South America Minty smell Upright growth Emersed form with creeping stem and nice flowers

Clinopodium cf. brownei, Micromeria brownei (Sw.) Benth., Satureja brownei (Sw.) Briq.

Clinopódium brównei (Sw.) Kuntze

Lamiaceae

Clinopodium

Lindernia anagallis

Background

medium

fast

5-7

10-30℃

0-14 dKH

0-30 °dGH

Cuttings

yes