Lamiaceae (Mint) Family
Plants of Warmth
The Lamiaceae is one of the most readily recognized families of flowering plants. For many years this botanical family was referred to as the Labiateae, in reference to the strongly bilabiate (2-lipped) flowers exhibited by most of its species. According to Pelikan (1988) all the species in the Lamiaceae family carry medicinal properties, a gift that stems from the archetypal (original) plant itself.
Warmth is the essential nature of most of the plants in the Lamiaceae family for the cosmic warmth of the sun greatly influences the development of one aspect of these plants (Pelikan, 1988). Plants in the Lamiaceae family express their warmth element through their fragrance and fiery aromatic compounds called volatile oils. These oils are highly inflammable, unstable and expand quickly to a gaseous state. The cosmic warmth activity in these plants develops according to where they grow in the world and the generative forces influencing plant development in that region, (Pelikan, 1988). The Lamiaceae family develops to its greatest potential in the mountainous parts of the Mediterranean countries. This is due to the short spring rain periods followed by the long hot, dry summers that are full of bright days with strong generative etheric forces as they mainly flower in the summer. This plant will die in boggy or wet soil, (Cox & Monine, 2010). The plants of this botanical family have a special relationship with human beings as both have internal warmth as an aspect of their fundamental nature (Pelikan, 1998).
Anthroposophical Nursing 