MINT FAMILY 



LABIATE MINT FAMILY 



Trichostema dichotomum, L. 



Deep violet or magenta-blue Blue-curls, 



Bastard Pennyroyal. 

 July-October 



Trichostema: from Greek for a hair and a stamen from 



the capillary filaments. 

 Dichotomum: from Latin and Greek meaning cut in two. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: dry, sandy soil. 



THE PLANT: generally erect; three inches to two feet high, 

 much branched; the branches spreading or somewhat erect; 

 the stem slender, rather stiff, covered with minute, sticky 

 hairs. 



THE LEAVES: opposite; lance-oblong to oblong; one inch to 

 three inches long, the upper gradually smaller, with minute, 

 sticky hairs ; entire ; with an aromatic pennyroyal-like odour. 



THE FLOWERS: one to three together on stems; the calyx 

 very unequally lobed. 



THE FRUIT: nutlets. 



An optimistic plant, blooming as profusely when only 

 three inches high as when two feet high. The stem is 

 much branched and bears deep violet or magenta-blue 

 flowers. These are remarkable for the extraordinarily 

 long violet stamens, which, curved, extend far beyond the 

 petals, a fact that has given rise to the popular name of 

 Blue-curls. Another popular name, Bastard Pennyroyal, 

 is due to the plant's possessing an odor like pennyroyal. 

 After the petals have fallen, the nutlets can plainly be 

 seen within the calyx. 



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