''Monarda punctata'' is a

herbaceous plant Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition o ...

in the

mint Mint or The Mint may refer to: Plants * Lamiaceae, the mint family ** ''Mentha'', the genus of plants commonly known as "mint" Coins and collectibles * Mint (facility), a facility for manufacturing coins * Mint condition, a state of like-new ...

family,

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family (biology), family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle, or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil (herb), ba ...

, that is native to eastern

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, the eastern

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and northeastern

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 ...

. Common names include spotted beebalm and horsemint.

Varieties

*''Monarda punctata'' var. ''arkansana'' (E.M.McClint. & Epling) Shinners *''Monarda punctata'' var. ''correllii'' B.L.Turner *''Monarda punctata'' var. ''coryi'' (E.M.McClint. & Epling) Shinners *''Monarda punctata'' var. ''immaculata'' (Pennell) Scora *''Monarda punctata'' var. ''intermedia'' (E.M.McClint. & Epling) Waterf *''Monarda punctata'' var. ''lasiodonta'' A.Gray *''Monarda punctata'' var. ''occidentalis'' (Epling) E.J.Palmer & Steyerm *''Monarda punctata'' var. ''punctata'' *''Monarda punctata'' var. ''villicaulis'' (Pennell) E.J.Palmer & Steyerm

Description

It is a thyme-scented plant with heads of purple-spotted tubular yellow flowers above rosettes of large white- or pink-tipped bracts. The plant contains

thymol Thymol (also known as 2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol, IPMP), , is a toxic monoterpenoid phenol derivative of ''p''-Cymene, isomeric with carvacrol. It occurs naturally in the oil of thyme, and it is extracted from ''Thymus vulgaris'' (common thy ...

, an

antiseptic An antiseptic ( and ) is an antimicrobial substance or compound that is applied to living tissue to reduce the possibility of sepsis, infection, or putrefaction. Antiseptics are generally distinguished from ''antibiotics'' by the latter's abil ...

and

fungicide Fungicides are pesticides used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in losses of yield and quality. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals, ...

. Unlike most ''Monarda'' species that have a single flower head on a stem, ''Monarda punctata'' has flowers that are stacked up the stem with bracts radiating from the stem, under each flower. Varying in color from light pink to white, the bracts are ornamental longer than the flowers, whereas the flowers (yellow with brown spots) are visible only at close range.

Ecological value

''Monarda punctata'' attracts pollinators in great numbers, especially wasps. Among the wasps that it brings to the garden are beneficial predatory wasps that control grubs, pest caterpillars, and other harmful insects.

Uses

It was historically used to treat upset stomachs, colds, diarrhea, neuralgia and kidney disease.

Gallery

File:Archilochus colubris, Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn, NY, USA imported from iNaturalist photo 319337502.jpg,

Ruby-throated hummingbird The ruby-throated hummingbird (''Archilochus colubris'') is a species of hummingbird that generally spends the winter in Central America, Mexico, and Florida, and migrates to Canada and other parts of Eastern North America for the summer to bree ...

feeding from ''M. punctata'' File:Monarda Punctata; White Petals.jpg, ''M. punctata'' from Kent Park, Iowa. Found in a sandy section of soil on a hill. File:Monarda punctata.jpg, 1815 illustration by

Sydenham Edwards Sydenham Teast Edwards (5 August 1768 – 8 February 1819) was a natural history illustrator. He illustrated plants, birds and importantly published an illustrated book on the breeds of dogs in Britain, ''Cynographia Britannica''. Edwards was bo ...

References

External links

* * * *http://mtcubacenter.org/trials/monarda/monarda-punctata/ punctata Plants described in 1753 Flora of the Eastern United States Flora of the United States Flora of Northeastern Mexico Flora of Canada Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Lamiaceae-stub