spotted beebalm

(Monarda punctata var. villicaulis)

Conservation Status
spotted beebalm
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N5? - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

UPL - Obligate upland

     
  Midwest

UPL - Obligate upland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

UPL - Obligate upland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Spotted beebalm, also called horsemint, is a 12 to 36 tall, erect, short-lived perennial forb that rises from a taproot.

The stems are erect, leafy, and square. They are usually unbranched except for short, leafy branches arising from the leaf axils. They are densely covered with long, soft, spreading hairs.

The leaves are opposite, lance-shaped to narrowly oblong, ¾ to 3 long, and to ½ wide. They are on slender, ¼ to 1¼ long leaf stalks. The upper surface is sparsely to moderately hairy. The lower surface is densely hairy. The margins of lower and middle leaves are shallowly toothed, those of upper leaves often untoothed.

The inflorescence is 2 to 5 small, compact, head-like flower clusters (glomerules) at the end of the stem and branches. One whorl is at the end of the stem, the others originate at upper leaf axils. Each whorl is subtended by 5 to 10 showy modified leaves (bracts). The bracts are leaf-like, lance-shaped to egg-shaped, spreading or bent backward, to 1½ long, and ¼ to wide. They taper to a sharp point and are toothed only near the tip. The upper side is mostly pale green to mostly white, sometimes tinged with pink or purple. The underside is pale green.

The flowers are to 1½ long. There are 5 sepals, 5 petals, and 2 stamens. The sepals are green and are fused at the base into a 3 16 to long calyx tube then separated at the tip into 5 triangular, spreading teeth. The petals are pale yellow with purple spots. They are fused at the base into a slender corolla tube then separated at the tip into 2 widely spreading lips. The upper lip has is keeled and strongly arched over the stamens. The lower lip has 2 small lateral lobes and a large central lobe that is sometimes notched. The lower lip often has small purple spots. The stamens do not extend beyond the corolla tube.

The fruit is 4 oblong or egg-shaped, smooth, brown nutlets.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

12 to 36

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Pale yellow with purple spots

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Dry. Full sun. Sandy soil.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

July to September

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

 
  6/20/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Lamiales (mints, plantains, olives, and allies)  
 

Family

Lamiaceae (mint)  
  Subfamily Nepetoideae  
  Tribe Mentheae  
 

Subtribe

Menthinae (balms, mints, and thymes)  
  Genus Monarda (beebalms and bergamots)  
  Species Monarda punctata (spotted horse mint)  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Monarda punctata ssp. punctata var. villicaulis

Monarda punctata ssp. villicaulis

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

dotted beebalm

dotted monarda

horse-mint

horsemint

spotted bee balm

spotted beebalm

spotted horse mint

spotted horsemint

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Axil

The upper angle where a branch, stem, leaf stalk, or vein diverges.

 

Bract

Modified leaf at the base of a flower stalk, flower cluster, or inflorescence.

 

Calyx

The group of outer floral leaves (sepals) below the petals, occasionally forming a tube.

 

Corolla

A collective name for all of the petals of a flower.

 

Glomerule

A dense, cluster; a small, compact, head-like cyme.

 

Keeled

Folded, as in a grass blade, or with a raised ridge, as in a grass sheath; like the keel of a boat.

 

Rhizome

A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.

 
 
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Plant

 
    spotted beebalm   spotted beebalm  
           
    spotted beebalm      
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    spotted beebalm      
           
 

Late Season

 
    spotted beebalm      

 

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slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
  Monarda punctata, Horsemint, Punktierte Indianernessel, Pferdeminze, perennial, Wildstaude
Robert Jondalar
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 16, 2012

gentiana

   
  Monarda punctata Horse Mint
dullard69
 
   
 
About

Published on Sep 6, 2012

A nice flowering native to the southeast U.S. and elsewhere.

   
  Nature in a Minute, Episode 9 - Dotted Horsemint
Kevin Mims
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Oct 24, 2011

No description available.

   
  Horsemint the Great Attractor for pollinating insects
Christopher Stokes
 
   
 
About

Published on Aug 15, 2013

just letting the camera watch this Horsemint and seeing all the different insects who love it. bees love it. wasps, and hornets. if you want lots of bees plant this great plant

sharing what i seen today with you. if you have some time please leave a comment below. and Please Subscribe to my channel

and thank you very much for watching my videos..

   

 

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