Background:

Lamiaceae is one of the most species-rich families in Mexico. However, a detailed treatment on its diversity and an updated comprehensive taxonomic review for the country are still lacking. As a result, the use and conservation of the members of Lamiaceae is limited.

Questions:

Which advances have been achieved on the study and understanding of the Mexican Lamiaceae in terms of richness, endemism and distribution? Which strategies should be applied to enhance the knowledge of Lamiaceae in Mexico?

Taxon:

Lamiaceae

Study site:

Mexico

Methods:

A thorough review of Mexican Lamiaceae in the literature, databases and herbaria was conducted. The state of knowledge of the family was summarized. Quantitative analyses were performed to assess its richness, endemism and geographical distribution.

Results:

Mexico embraces 33 genera and 598 species of Lamiaceae, with an endemism proportion of 66.2 %. The most diverse genus is Salvia, with 306 species. Oaxaca is the state encompassing the highest richness, whereas Jalisco harbors the highest amount of endemic species.

Conclusions:

In Mexico Lamiaceae is the eighth most species-rich family, with a number of species equivalent to 5.5 % of all Lamiaceae worldwide; hence the country is one of the most relevant diversification centers for the family. The high species richness and endemism level found in Mexico, makes this country crucial for in situ conservation of the labiates. Currently, subtantial advances have been achieved on the knowledge of Lamiaceae, and their study has increased in recent years. Nervertheless, several fields of research still need to be explored.