Spotted Beebalm
Monarda punctata
Summary 7
Monarda punctata is a herbaceous plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that is native to the United States and northeastern Mexico. Common names include Spotted Beebalm and Horsemint. It is a thyme-scented plant with purple-spotted tubular yellow flowers. The plant contains thymol, an antiseptic and fungicide. It was historically used to treat upset stomachs, colds, diarrhea, neuralgia and kidney disease.
Comments 8
Spotted Bee Balm is also called Spotted Horsemint. This species has rather unusual-looking flowers and attractive bracts. It is easily distinguished from most Monarda spp. (Bee Balms) in Illinois by its multiple whorls of flowers on the same stem, cream-colored and purple-spotted corollas, narrow leaves, and pink to lavender bracts. The only similar species that can be found in the state, Monarda citriodora (Lemon Bee Balm; sometimes referred to as Monarda pectinata), is native to the Great Plains and rarely escapes from cultivation. This is an annual species with white to pink corollas that lack spots. The calyx teeth of Lemon Bee Balm are longer and more pointed than those of Spotted Bee Balm, which has simple triangular teeth. Different varieties of Spotted Bee Balm have been described, but they are quite similar to each other, differing primarily by the kind of pubescence to be found on the central stem.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Gravitywave, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/74215305@N00/13502923
- (c) Jason Sharp, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8003/7469566214_ba9e4420c1_o.jpg
- (c) Jason Sharp, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/6863191780_4bf21bdc6f_b.jpg
- (c) Mary Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8037/7959197988_d6056ef1c4_o.jpg
- (c) John Hilty, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/photox/sp_balm2.jpg
- (c) eplonka1, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by eplonka1
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarda_punctata
- (c) John Hilty, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/29442293
More Info
- iNat taxon page
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- BOLD Systems BIN search
- eFloras.org
- Flora of North America (beta)
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
- Go Botany
- HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
- IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
- Maryland Biodiversity Project
- NatureServe Explorer 2.0
- SEINet Symbiota portals
- Tropicos
- USDA PLANTS database
- VASCAN by Canadensys
- World Flora Online
