Western spotted beebalm

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Western spotted beebalm bracts and flowers

Western spotted beebalm habit

Western spotted beebalm

Western spotted beebalm inflorescences

Western spotted beebalm habit

Western spotted beebalm flowers

Western spotted beebalm leaves

Western spotted beebalm flowers

Western spotted beebalm

Morphology

Stem

Erect, branched, pubescent.

Leaves

Opposite, narrowly oblong or elliptic to lanceolate, 4/5 to 2 inches long, 1/8 to 1/2 inch wide, surfaces dotted, sparsely pubescent; margins toothed to nearly entire, fringed; tips pointed; nearly sessile or stalks to 3/5 inch.

Inflorescence

Spike, interrupted; flower heads 1-6, 3/5 to 1 inch wide excluding corollas; bracts subtending heads oblong, elliptic, or egg-shaped, .6 to 1.6 inch long, 1/4 to 3/5 inch wide, spreading or slightly bent downward, whitish or pinkish-purplish, finely-hairy above, variously pubescent to nearly glabrous below; margins usually toothed near tip; tips tapering to sharp points.

Flower

Each flower subtended by linear bract 1/6 to 1/3 inch long; calyx tubular, pubescent, stiff-hairy in throat, 5-toothed; teeth triangular, spreading, fringed; corolla 2-lipped, white to purplish; upper lip erect, sickle-shaped, strongly arched, helmut-like, hairy above; lower lip 2/5 to 4/5 inch long, often with dark purple spots, sparsely stiff-hairy at base; stamens 2, included under upper lip.

Fruit

Nutlets 4, oblong or egg-shaped, smooth, brown, each 1-seeded.

Ecology

Habitat

Open sites, prairies, pastures, old fields, roadsides; dry, sandy soils.

Distribution

West 2/3 of Kansas.

Practical Information

Forage Value

Cattle will not graze this plant.

Uses

Native Americans used spotted beebalm in treatments of fevers, colds, headaches, and stomach cramps. At one time, an antiseptic used to treat internal parasites was dervived from this plant.

Additional Notes