by Chris Bidwell

THE GENUS AGASTACHE IN KENTUCKY (Clayton – 1830’s ex Gronov. 1762)

Also known as Giant Hyssops or Hummingbird Mints has two native species in Kentucky: Agastache nepetoides (L.)-Kuntze (1891) Catnip/Yellow Giant Hyssop and Agastache scrophulariifolia (Willd.)- Kuntze (1891) Purple Giant Hyssop.

The genus Agastache is in the Lamiaceae (mint) family, subfamily nepetoideae, and the tribe mentheae. This genus was formally established in 1762 by a Dutch botanist Jan Frederik Gronovius (1690-1762) in his second edition of Flora Virginica (Linnaeus actively assisted Gronovius with this work). Flora Virginica was actually based on the notes and specimens sent to Gronovius by an English botanist John Clayton (1695-1773) while he was living in Virginia. Clayton had given the genus name to these perennial flowering herbs in the 1730’s. The second edition was published in 1762 by Grovonius’ son, Laurens (also a botanist), as the elder Grovonius had died in June of 1762. This second edition was published without Clayton’s knowledge or permission. Agastache’s author’s citation is often followed by Clayton ex Grovonius (Gronov.). Linnaeus named a genus of wildflowers – Claytonia (Spring Beauty) in honor of Clayton’s botanical contributions. Agastache (many spikes) comes from the Greek word Agan (many/very much) and Stakus/Stachys (ears /spikes of grain/wheat) which describes the plant’s “many ears/spikes” of inflorescences.