Common mountain mint Virginia mountain mint Pycnanthemum virginianum (L.) Dur. & Jackson
Stem: perennial; 2’ to 3’ tall; unbranched below; hairy on the stem angles, especially above.
Leaves: opposite; linear, long-tapering to pointed tips; sessile; 1 1/2” by 3/16”; with smooth margins; blades smooth above and below; tiny dots on the leaf surfaces.
Inflorescence: corymbiform cluster of heads from the stem tip and upper branches; each head 1/4” across, underlain by hairy, overlapping bracts 1/8” long.
Flowers: white corolla (1/4” long) with purple spots inside, two-lipped; calyx 1/4” tall, hairy; flowering from early July to mid-August.
Fruits: nutlets mature within the calyx, 1/32” long; fruiting begins in mid-July.
Habitat: common on moist prairies, in marshes, and in other open places.