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Sunday, July 22, 2012

Monardella

Coyote-mint (Monardella villosa ssp. franciscana)


A highly aromatic native perennial growing in coastal prairie on Bodega Head.  Below is a close-up of the flowers.  Look for the 2-lobed upper lip and the 3-lobed lower lip.


The genus, Monardella, means "little Monarda."  Monarda is the genus for other plants in the mint family that you may be familiar with, e.g., Bee Balm and Wild Bergamot.  Monarda was named after Nicolás Monardes, a 16th century Spanish physician and botanist.

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