catnip

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The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

catnip or catmint, strong-scented perennial herb ( Nepeta cataria ) of the family Labiatae ( mint family), native to Europe and Asia but naturalized in the United States. A tea of the leaves and flowing tops has long been used as a domestic remedy for various ailments. Catnip is best known for its stimulating effect on cats. Catnip is classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Magnoliopsida, order Lamiales, family Labiatae.

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catnip

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | © The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

cat·nip / ˈkatˌnip/ • n. a plant (genus Nepeta) of the mint family, with downy leaves, purple-spotted white flowers, and a pungent smell attractive to cats. Also called catmint.

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