About Trichostema laxum A.Gray
Trichostema laxum A.Gray is an annual herb that reaches a maximum height of nearly 5 decimetres, which is 1.6 feet. Its aromatic foliage has a strong turpentine odor, and is covered in both glandular and nonglandular hairs. Its leaves are lanceolate to narrowly ovate, and grow up to 7 centimeters long. The inflorescence is made up of a series of flower clusters positioned at each pair of leaves. Each flower has a hairy calyx formed of green or reddish sepals, and a tubular, lipped purple corolla. The four stamens are long and curved, and can measure up to 1.6 centimeters in length. This species blooms from June to October. This annual plant is native to northern California and Oregon, and grows at elevations below 1,700 metres, which is 5,600 feet. It occurs primarily in the Inner Northern California Coast Ranges, including the Klamath Mountains and Mayacamas Mountains subranges. It grows in gravelly streambanks or sandy soil in mountain and foothill regions, within chaparral, Foothill oak woodland, and Yellow pine forest habitats. This species has an affinity for serpentine soils.
