''Monardella'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of approximately 40 species of
annual and
perennial
In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...
plants
Plants are the eukaryotes that form the kingdom Plantae; they are predominantly photosynthetic. This means that they obtain their energy from sunlight, using chloroplasts derived from endosymbiosis with cyanobacteria to produce sugars f ...
native to western North America from
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
to northwestern
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
.
[Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]
/ref> They are grown for their highly aromatic foliage, which in some species is used for herbal teas. The two-lipped, tubular flowers are formed in terminal clusters and are most usually red, pink, or purple.
''Monardella'' is a Latin diminutive form of Monarda
''Monarda'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae.Harley, R. M., et al. 2004. "Labiatae". pp 167-275 In: Kubitzki, K. (editor) and J. W. Kadereit (volume editor). ''The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants'' volume VII. ...
(a taxonomic patronym honoring the Spanish botanist Nicolás Monardes), which the form of the flower heads resembles.
Species
, Plants of the World Online
Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
History
Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...
accepted the following species:[Elvin, M. A., et al. (2013)]
''Monardella eplingii'', a new species from the Black Mountains of northwestern Arizona, USA.
''Madroño'' 60(1) 46-54. - Arizona
* '' Monardella eremicola'' A.C.Sanders & Elvin - southern California
* '' Monardella exilis'' (A.Gray) Greene - southern California, Arizona
* '' Monardella follettii'' (Jeps.) Jokerst - northern Sierra Nevada in California
* '' Monardella hypoleuca'' A.Gray - southern California, Baja California
* '' Monardella kruckebergii'' Elvin, R.B.Kelley & B.T.Drew
* '' Monardella lagunensis'' M.E.Jones - Baja California Sur
* †'' Monardella leucocephala'' A.Gray - Merced & Stanislaus counties in California but believed to be extinct
* '' Monardella linoides'' A.Gray - California, Arizona, Nevada, Baja California
* '' Monardella macrantha'' A.Gray - California, Baja California
* '' Monardella mojavensis'' Elvin & A.C.Sanders - Mohave Desert of southeastern California & southern Nevada
* '' Monardella nana'' A.Gray - California, Baja California
* '' Monardella odoratissima'' Benth. - mountain wildmint, mountain coyote mint or mountain pennyroyal - much of western North America from British Columbia south to southern California & New Mexico
** ''Monardella odoratissima'' subsp. ''villosa'' (Benth.) Brunell, syns ''Monardella antonina'' Hardham, '' Monardella villosa'' Benth.
Horticulture and ecology
Most like a sunny, sharply drained site and can be attractive in a rock garden
A rock garden, also known as a rockery and formerly as a rockwork, is a garden, or more often a part of a garden, with a landscaping framework of rocks, stones, and gravel, with planting appropriate to this setting. Usually these are small ...
or pot in the alpine house if smaller species are selected. The taller ones can be used at the front of a dry sunny border. They have reasonable frost resistance, but resent dampness in winter. Propagate from seed or summer cuttings of perennial species, or by division of clumps.
''Monardella'' is a nectar plant for many Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...
(butterflies and moths), including the endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...
Myrtle's silverspot (''Speyeria zerene myrtleae'').
Several species are rare California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
endemics
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
; two, the Merced monardella (''M. leucocephala'') and Pringle's monardella (''M. pringlei''), have not been seen in many decades and are presumed extinct
Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...
.Jepson Manual Treatment: ''M. pringlei''
/ref>
Notes
References
External links
USDA Plants Profile: ''Monardella''
Calflora Database: ''Monardella''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5223309
Lamiaceae genera
Flora of Northern America
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus