spotted beebalm

not listed

N5? - Secure

SNR - Unranked

not listed

UPL - Obligate upland

UPL - Obligate upland

UPL - Obligate upland

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 ⅛″ 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, ⅝″ to 1½″ long, and ¼″ to ⅝″ 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 ⅝″ 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 ⅜″ 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.

12″ to 36″

Pale yellow with purple spots

Dry. Full sun. Sandy soil.

July to September

Sources

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

Native

Plant

Inflorescence

Late Season