Trichostema dichotomum, commonly known as forked bluecurls, is a flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae). The plant is found in the Midwestern and Eastern United States, and Eastern Canada. USDA: Trichostema dichotomum distribution mapKew World Checklist of Selected Plant FamiliesBiota of North America Program 2013 county distribution mapWunderlin, R. P. 1998. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida i–x, 1–806. University Press of Florida, GainesvilleGleason, H. A. & A.J. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada (ed. 2) i–910. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx
Description Trichostema dichotomum is an annual herbaceous forb with opposite, simple leaves, and square, erect, hairy stems. The leaves are covered in small hairs.
The flowers are blue, borne in late summer through mid autumn,Voss, E. G. 1996. Michigan Flora, Part III: Dicots (Pyrolaceae-Compositae). Cranbrook Inst. of Science, Ann Arbor. and the stems bear glandular hairs that are fragrant when disturbed. Each flower blooms only for half a day, opening in the morning and dropping its petals and stamens by the afternoon.
Ecology
This plant germinates early in the summer and grows in sunny, moderately dry, sandy areas, including sandhills, open woodlands, glades, and disturbed areas. It is an important nectar producer for bees, including Caupolicana electa and Dialictus placidensis.
Trichostema dichotomum is insect pollinated and is recorded to have been visited in northern Florida by Augochloropsis metallica, Bombus impatiens, Lasioglossum apopkense, Lasioglossum reticulatum, and Melissodes bimaculatus. Ulyshen, M. D., K. Robertson, S. Horn, and C. Dixon. 2024. Characterization of the bee community and pollination network in a southeastern U.S. pine savanna. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 12:1403602.
References
External links USDA Plants Profile for Trichostema dichotomum (forked bluecurls)