Harman Patil (Editor)

Trichostema lanceolatum

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Kingdom
  
Family
  
Genus
  
Rank
  
Species

Order
  
Subfamily
  
Teucrioideae

Scientific name
  
Trichostema lanceolatum

Trichostema lanceolatum Yosemite Wildflowers Vinegarweed Trichostema lanceolatum

Similar
  
Trichostema, Trichostema lanatum, Scutellaria tuberosa, Croton setigerus, Lupinus bicolor

Trichostema lanceolatum, with the common names vinegarweed and camphor weed, is an annual flowering herb of the mint family native to western North America.

Contents

Trichostema lanceolatum Wildflowers NPS SAMO NRA Trichostema lanceolatum detail page

The common name 'vinegarweed' originated due to its foliage containing volatile oils that have a strong vinegar odor. The oils have phytotoxic properties, which help the plant compete by killing or injuring other plant species.

Trichostema lanceolatum Yosemite Wildflowers Vinegarweed Trichostema lanceolatum

Distribution

Trichostema lanceolatum Trichostema lanceolatum Wildflowers in Santa Barbara

The plant is native to the Western United States from the Pacific Coast Ranges in Washington and Oregon, through California, and to northern Baja California state in México. It is found from above sea level to 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) in elevation.

California habitats it grows in include: chaparral; coastal sage scrub; and Northern, Southern, and Foothill oak woodlands.

Description

Trichostema lanceolatum is an annual herbaceous wildflower, growing under 1 metre (3.3 ft) in height.

Trichostema lanceolatum Trichostema lanceolatum Vinegar weed

The soft-hairy foliage has lanceolate leaves, 0.8–3 inches (2.0–7.6 cm) long. In hot weather the vinegar smell of the plant becomes intense as the oils in the tissues permeate the air.

Trichostema lanceolatum Trichostema lanceolatum Vinegarweed Flickr

The bilaterally symmetrical flowers, of pale blue to purple, are in long clusters in leaf axils on short green stems. The blooming period is from August to October.

Plants reproduce only by seed that are primarily dispersed by falling to the ground below the parent plant.

Uses

Trichostema lanceolatum httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

The plant is an important a pollen source for native bees and other insects. When a pollinating insect alights on the lower lobes of the corolla, and inserts its mouth parts into the nectar-containing lower section of the same tube, the narrow corolla portion above is straightened and snaps rapidly downward brushing pollen onto the insect's back.

The volatile oils make it unpalatable to grazing and foraging animals.

Medical plant

The indigenous peoples of California used this as a traditional medicinal plant, as a cold and fever remedy, a pain reliever, and a flea insect repellent.

References

Trichostema lanceolatum Wikipedia