Monardella odoratissima

 

by Hanna Soltow, Native Plants of Arizona 2005

Common names: mountain monardella, Pacific monardella (1)

Family: Lamiaceae (1)

Synonymy:

Etymology: Odoratissima means the most scented, from odoro: to give off fragrance, be perfumed, and –issimus: to the greatest degree (2).

 

Identification

Growth form: Shrub, subshrub, herb (3); 1.5-3.5 dm high (4)
Roots:

Stem: grayish pilose, with short hairs (5); decumbent at base (5,6); woody at base; several flowering branches, erect or ascending, simple or with sterile, short branchlets above; 2-4 dm long (6)

Leaves: opposite, oblong, subsessile or short-petioled at base, 2-3 cm long (5,6); lanceolate, both top and bottom green (6)

Inflorescence/flowers: clusters of flowers subtended by purple bracts; bracts broadly ovate, rounded or obtuse at apex, rose-purple, pubescent on the veins, ciliate on margins; calyx 6-8 mm long; corolla light purple (6); calyx lobes narrowly lanceolate, ciliate; corolla about 12 mm long, 2 lipped, upper lip entire, lower lip has 3 clefts; 4 stamens (5);

Fruit: smooth (6); oblong to ovoid; 1-4 nutlets (4)

Similar species:

 

Ecology

Life history: branched perennial, more or less woody at base (4)

Native/introduced: Native (1)

Photosynthetic pathway:

Phenology: June to September (4,7)

Distribution: mountains Oregon, Washington and Idaho (5); British Columbia to Southern California, eastward to Montana, Colorado and New Mexico; arid Transition and Canadian zones (6); primarily found in coniferous forests, frequently at high altitudes (7); found in Cochise, Pima, Yavapai, Mohave, and Coconino counties in AZ (8)

 

Uses: Karok tribe uses this plant as a sweat medicine; women also use plant as a love medicine.  Many tribes, including Miwok and Paiute, make a decoction of the leaves and stems as a fever reducer and cure for the common cold.  Paiute and Shoshone, among others, also use a decoction of the plant to relieve stomach pains and gas.  Many tribes also make a non-medicinal hot or cold beverage from the leaves and stems (9).

 

 

References

1. “Monardella odoratissima.” Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed 11/15/05. < http://www.itis.usda.gov>

 

2. Dictionary of Botanical Epithets. Accessed 11/15/05. <http://www.winternet.com/~chuckg/dictionary.html>

 

3. “Monardella odoratissima.” USDA, NRCS. 2005. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). Data compiled from various sources by Mark W. Skinner. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

 

4. Munz, P. A. and Keck, D. D. 1959. A California Flora. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA.

 

5. Rydberg, P. A. 1922. Flora of the Rocky Mountains and Adjacent Plains. Intelligencer Printing Co., Lancaster, PA.

 

6. Abrams, L. and Ferris, R. S. 1960. Illustrated Flora of the Pacific States, Vol. III. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA.

 

7. Rickett, H. W. Wild Flowers of The United States: Vol. Four—The Southwestern States. McGraw-Hill, New York.

 

8. Southwest Environmental Information Network. Accessed on December 6, 2005.

            <http://seinet.asu.edu/collections/selection.jsp>

 

9. Moerman, Dan. “Native American Ethnobotany.” University of Michigan-Dearborn. Accessed 11/15/05. < http://herb.umd.umich.edu/>