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Published In: Species Plantarum 1: 22. 1753. (1 May 1753) (Sp. Pl.) Name publication detailView in BotanicusView in Biodiversity Heritage Library
 

Project Name Data (Last Modified On 8/25/2017)
Acceptance : Accepted
Project Data     (Last Modified On 7/9/2009)
Status: Native

 

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3. Monarda clinopodia L. (basil beebalm, beebalm)

Pl. 437 e, f; Map 1969

Plants perennial. Stems 30–120 cm long, unbranched or branched, glabrous or sparsely pubescent with fine, spreading or downward-curled hairs, more densely so around the nodes. Leaves (all but the uppermost) with petioles 10–40 mm long, the median leaves more or less the largest. Leaf blades 3–13 cm long, ovate to ovate-triangular, those of the uppermost leaves sometimes lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, broadly angled to more commonly rounded to nearly truncate at the base, tapered to a sharply pointed tip, the margins with relatively closely spaced, usually fine teeth, also hairy, the upper surface sparsely pubescent with short, fine, loosely appressed hairs or nearly glabrous, the undersurface sparsely pubescent with longer, spreading to somewhat curved hairs, especially along the veins. Inflorescences consisting of only 1 terminal flower cluster, the bracts 8–25 mm long, lanceolate, the margins entire but hairy, the surfaces glabrous to densely pubescent with short, curved hairs, green, but often pale, whitened, or pinkish-tinged toward the base or along the midvein. Innermost bracts 5–11 mm long, mostly linear, the margins hairy. Calyces 6–10 mm long, the outer surface glabrous or sparsely to moderately pubescent with minute, gland-tipped hairs, glabrous or more commonly sparsely to moderately bristly-hairy in the throat, the lobes 1–2 mm long, long-tapered above a very short, triangular base, but lacking a bristlelike extension. Corollas 14–30 mm long, white to pale cream-colored, rarely pale pinkish-tinged, often with purple spots or mottling on the lower lip, glabrous or more commonly sparsely to moderately pubescent with minute, curled (occasionally cobwebby), nonglandular hairs on the outer surface, sometimes mainly on the upper lip, also usually with inconspicuous sessile glands, glabrous or sparsely hairy in the throat, the lips somewhat shorter than the tube, the upper lip straight or nearly so, the lower lip more or less entire, abruptly tapered to a short, terminal, toothlike extension. Stamens conspicuously exserted from the corolla. Nutlets 1.2–1.5 mm long, yellowish brown to brown. June–July.

Uncommon, known thus far only from two collections from Butler County (eastern U.S. west to Missouri and Alabama). Bottomland forests.

The flowers of M. clinopodia are fragrant. It is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental.

 


 

 
 
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