Monarda punctata is a herbaceous plant in the mint

Mentha

Mentha is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae . The species are not clearly distinct and estimates of the number of species varies from 13 to 18. Hybridization between some of the species occurs naturally...

 family, Lamiaceae

Lamiaceae

The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...

, that is native to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and northeastern Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

. Common names include Spotted Beebalm and Horsemint.
It is a thyme-scented plant with purple-spotted tubular yellow flowers. The plant contains thymol

Thymol

Thymol is a natural monoterpene phenol derivative of cymene, C10H14O, isomeric with carvacrol, found in oil of thyme, and extracted from Thymus vulgaris and various other kinds of plants as a white crystalline substance of a pleasant aromatic odor and strong antiseptic properties...

, an antiseptic

Antiseptic

Antiseptics are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction...

 and fungicide

Fungicide

Fungicides are chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill or inhibit fungi or fungal spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality and profit. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals...

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

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.

External links