Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)

August 18^th, 2012. We had reached a section of the Saxon-Norman-Broad road at the edge of farmland where we see very little of interest when we saw a large patch of flowers. The roadside had been mowed recently but this patch of plants had been spared. I felt sure that this was a patch of naturalized non-native plants but… They were worth photographing and I was delighted to find that they were a native wildflower – the Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) – that had been spared by someone who appreciated them.

The patch of flowers. The grass cleared by the mower is clearly visible in the foreground. It’s unusual of patches of wildflowers to be spared when roadsides are being mowed.

A closer view of the patch.

Stems of Physostegia virginica are thickly leaved along the lower section of the stem compared with Physostegia angustifolia

An individual stem

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Close views of an individual flower.

Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant, False Dragonhead, Obedient-plant) is native to the United States, where it’s found in states east of a line from North Dakota to Texas, and including Montana, Utah and New Mexico. In Georgia, it’s been documented in a few counties in north and south; It has not been formally documented in Oglethorpe County.

Click on an image to view a larger image 

 

Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) 

- Name that Plant: Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Physostegia virginiana (Northern Obedient-plant, False Dragonhead, Obedient-plant)

Distribution:

- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Physostegia virginiana

- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Physostegia virginiana

More Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata)

August 17^th, 2012. I was making my way over to the Showy Rattlebox (Crotolaria spectabilis) plants growing at the edge of the woods on the south side of GA-16 east of Sparta in Hancock County. I had to walk through grass and cross a shallow ditch to reach the woods. At the bottom of the ditch, I happened to look down. And there it was a...

Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) plant in bloom. I almost didn’t notice it. It didn’t stand out. I looked around and saw more plants growing along the ditch.

I’d wondered how many ‘decks’ of flowers could develop on a stem. This stem has five decks.

A closer view of the flowers

It seems that a lot of flowers have small ‘friends.’  This flower had a resident Green Lynx (Peucetia viridans) spider lying in wait in hope of a meal.

As I was walking about photographing the Showy Rattlebox (Crotolaria spectablis), I happened upon this clump of beebalm plants. The clump appears to have more plants than it actually has. Most of the stems had branched with blooms on each branch. It’s interesting how ‘dull’ the flowers are in low light – it was late afternoon and cloudy.

Looking back at the patch from the road. It’s hard to recognize them at a distance. They look like dead flowers. See a more complete set of photographs here.

Monarda punctata (Spotted Beebalm, Eastern Horse-mint, Dotted Horse Mint) is native to the United States where it’s found in states southeast of a line from Quebec and Ontario, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas to New Mexico. In Georgia, it’s found in many counties throughout the state. Interestingly it has not been formally documented in Oglethorpe County.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Monarda punctata (Spotted Beebalm)

- Name that Plant: Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Monarda punctata (Eastern Horse0mint)- Missouri Plants: Monarda punctata

- Alabama Plants: Monarda punctata (Dotted HorseMint)

Distribution:

- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Monarda punctata (Spotted Beebalm)

- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Monarda punctata

Bug Guide: Green Lynx spider (Peucetia viridans)

Related posts:

-  Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata)

- Showy Rattlebox (Crotolaria spectabilis)                  

Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata)

August 4^th. 2012.  We wandered down a forest service road in the Oconee National Forest. The road didn’t look very interesting. Wide margins on each side of the road had been mowed. So it was surprising to find anything of interest. W spotted them – well, they were on his side of the truck – a clump of plants standing about 30 inches tall. He almost missed them. It was late afternoon and dark with thunderstorm clouds above us. In this light, these blooms didn’t stand out.

But they were gems. The first Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) plants I’ve ever seen in three years of wandering around north Georgia. Just shows that you have to be in the right place at the right time. W pulled a camp chair out of the truck and I sat there for about 15 minutes photographing them.

 The plants. There were three clumps in all.

 A closer view of the clump.

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The leaves are opposite and are developing a pink color and will be bracts to future blooms.

A closer view of an individual flower head composed of three levels of blooms. The individual flowers are yellow with brown spots that are arranged around the stem.

The top of the flower head. Flowers are developing

 A single level of flowers

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Closer views of a single flower

And the bonus… A small crab spider was lurking among the flowers hoping for a meal.

Monarda punctata (Spotted Beebalm, Eastern Horse-mint, Dotted Horse Mint) is native to the United States. Where it’s found in states southeast of a line from Quebec and Ontario, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas to New Mexico. In Georgia, it’s found in many counties throughout the state. Interestingly it has not been formally documented in Oglethorpe County.

Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:

- Southeastern Flora: Monarda punctata (Spotted Beebalm)

- Name that Plant: Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Monarda punctata (Eastern Horse-mint)

- Missouri Plants: Monarda punctata 

- Alabama Plants: Monarda punctata (Dotted Horse Mint)

Distribution:

- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Monarda punctata (Spotted Beebalm)

- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Monarda punctata

Related post:

- Exploring

Helmet Flowers (Scutellaria elliptica and Scutellaria integrifolia) At The Oconee National Forest - Piedmont National Wildlife Area

May 12th – June 23rd, 2012. So far, we’ve seen three different helmet flowers in Jones County north of the Piedmont National Wildlife Area and in the Piedmont NWR itself.

May 12th. Scutellaria elliptica
We found the first species on the west side of Starr Road in Jones County. The plants stood less that 12 inches high.

The plant

Its leaves, opposite and with obviously crenate margins.

The flower head

A closer view of the flower head

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Close ups of individual flowers

May 12th. Scutellaria integrifolia
We found these plants at the north end of Pond 2A in the Piedmont NWR. The plants stood about 12-15 inches tall.

The top of the flower head

The stem showing long leaves with smooth edges

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Close up views of an individual flower

June 23rd, 2012.
We found these plants on the west facing slope of the dam at Pond 2A. They were hidden in the grass, barely 6-8 inches tall. I’m not sure which species this is but think it might also be Scutellaria elliptica. I'd appreciate any corrections of this identification.

Flowers near the top of the plant

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A close up views of individual flowers

Scutellaria elliptica (Hairy Skullcap) is native to the United States where it grows in most states in the eastern United States. In Georgia, it has been documented mainly in counties in the Piedmont and in some southwestern counties. It blooms from May to July. Based on the photographs referenced below, the markings on the flowers vary quite widely.

Scutellaria integrifolia (Helmet Flower, Helmen Skullcap, Hyssop Skullcap) is native to the United States where it grows in states from Connecticut-New York to Oklahoma-Texas. In Georgia, it has been documented in counties throughout the state. It blooms from May to August.
Click on an image to view a larger image

Identification resources:
Scutellaria elliptica (Hairy skullcap)
Southeastern Flora
Name that Plant: Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia

Missouri Plants
Alabama Plants
Alan Cressler
- Madison County, Alabama
- Cahaba NWR, Bibb County, Alabama
- Union County, Georg
- Chattahoochee National Forest, Gilmer County, Georgia
- Chattahoochee National Forest, Union County, Georgia

Scutellaria integrifolia (Helmet Flower)
Southeastern Flora
Name that Plant: Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia
Alabama Plants

Distribution:
Scutellaria elliptica
United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database
University of North Carolina Herbarium

Scutellaria integrifolia

United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database

University of North Carolina Herbarium