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Trichostema dichotomum L.

Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassAsteridaeA large class that encompasses asters
OrderLamialesAromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary
FamilyLamiaceaeMint family
GenusTrichostema“Hairlike stamens”
SpeciesdichotomumForked in, or repeatedly dividing into, pairs

About plant names...

Blue curls are North American natives, members of the mint family. Trichostema means "hairlike stamens."

Identification: Plants are 4-30″ (10-76 cm) in height—the ones I have seen are at the low end of that range. Foliage is multiply branched and the main stems may be tinged with red. Flowers are ½-¾″ (1.3-1.9 cm) long × ¼-5/16″ (6.3-8.3 mm) wide. Flowers are blue, with four upper petals about the same size, and a long lower petal that is spotted and contains white. The most unique feature of these flowers are several long, arching stamens, poking out of the top of the flower and hanging downward in front. Leaves are small (less than 1″ (2.5 cm) long), hairy, entire, and lacking in teeth.

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

From Britton, Nathaniel Lord, and Brown, Addison, An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions, 1913, p. Vol. 3: 105.

Online References:

Www.jeffpippen.com

Southeastern Flora, the Southeastern U.S. Plant Identification Resource

Missouriplants.com

The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site

CalPhotos

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Wikimedia Commons

Forestry Images

Nature Photography by Shirley Denton

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 16 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

7/21/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/19/2018 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/19/2018 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 3½ × 6″ (9.4 × 14 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/4/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum L. var. puberulum Fernald & Grisc.

Trichostema pilosum Roth

 

Trichostema dichotomum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 23 Aug 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.


 

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/25/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/19/2018 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/2/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

7/21/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 2½ × 3½″ (6.6 × 9.8 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

7/21/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 2½ × 3½″ (6.6 × 9.8 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 2½ × 3½″ (6.3 × 9.4 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/4/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

8/6/2017 · Andres Art Institute, Big Bear Mountain, Brookline, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

Trichostema dichotomum (Eastern blue curls, forked bluecurls, blue curls, bastard pennyroyal)

9/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)

Range:

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