96 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



the exception of various color forms developed bv cultivation. 



Monarda didyina still outlines dripping rocky outcrops with 



its brilliant blossoms or colonizes sunny glades on the shores 

 of river or lake, Monarda fistiilosa spreads in solid sheets of 

 lavender over hundreds of square miles of prairie, and Mon- 

 arda punctata gives to the sandy wastes an air of cheerful 

 thrift in spite of heat and drowth. 



The flowers of the monardas are slender, curved and 

 two-lipped. Though individually of no great size, their habit 

 of growing in compact little rosettes at the tips of the stems 

 make them quite conspicuous. In this they are helped out 

 by the floral leaves or bracts which commonly take on some- 

 thing of the colors of the flowers themselves. In the case of 

 Monarda /Punctata shown in our illustration, this has gone so 

 far that the bracts have become the most conspicuous parts. 

 The flowers are rather insignificant, yellowish in color and 

 spotted with purple within, but the bracts are large, white 

 or purplish and most attractive. 



As might be expected, the scarlet forms of Monarda are 

 most sought after for cultivation. Of these, the bee-balm 

 or Oswego tea {M. didyma) is easily first. Various other 

 red and purple forms are found in the dealers' catalogs as 

 forms of Monarda fistulosa, but these are regarded as seper- 

 ate species at present. As usual, white forms are also to be 

 obtained. True Monarda fistulosa has lilac or pink blossoms. 

 The horse-mint {Monarda [punctata), though not as brilliant 

 as its sisters is still an attractive plant, especially desirable for 

 dry grounds where few other things will grow. Monarda 

 clinopodia is a species of no great attractiveness which ranges 

 south to Georgia. It has whitish flowers and is seldom cul- 

 tivated. 



