About Trichostema lanceolatum Benth.
Trichostema lanceolatum is an annual herbaceous wildflower that grows less than 1 meter (3.3 ft) tall. Its soft-hairy foliage bears lanceolate leaves that are between 2.0 and 7.6 cm (0.8 to 3 inches) long. In hot weather, the plant's characteristic vinegar scent becomes strong, as oils from its tissues diffuse into the surrounding air. Its bilaterally symmetrical pale blue to purple flowers grow in long clusters within leaf axils, attached to short green stems. This species blooms from August to October. It reproduces solely by seed, and most seeds disperse by falling directly to the ground below the parent plant. This species is native to the Western United States, ranging from the Pacific Coast Ranges of Washington and Oregon through California, to northern Baja California, Mexico. It grows at elevations from sea level up to 2,200 meters (7,200 ft). In California, it can be found in chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and Northern, Southern, and Foothill oak woodland habitats. Trichostema lanceolatum is an important source of pollen for native bees and other insect species. When a pollinating insect lands on the lower lobes of the flower corolla and inserts its mouthparts into the nectar-containing lower section of the corolla tube, the narrow upper portion of the corolla straightens and snaps quickly downward, brushing pollen onto the insect's back. The plant's volatile oils make it unpalatable to grazing and foraging animals. Indigenous peoples of California used this species as a traditional medicinal plant: it served as a remedy for colds and fever, a pain reliever, and an insect repellent to repel fleas.
