Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii
Bigelow's monkeyflower
Photo: parent species Diplacus bigelovii · (c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Phrymaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii (Bigelow's monkeyflower) is a native California herb in the Phrymaceae family, recognized by stem segment ratios diagnostic.
Bigelow's monkeyflower is a California native annual found in the Desert bioregion on rocky desert slopes and wash margins at elevations of 76 to 1,980 meters. Flowering from February to June, this plant produces delicate yellow flowers with distinctive markings. Growing with stems where the lower segments are notably longer than the upper segments, it reaches heights typical of desert annuals. Its leaves are uniquely structured, with basal leaves elliptical and occasionally tapering gently, while upper leaves become progressively narrower and more pointed. The plant's distinctive growth pattern and leaf arrangement make it well-adapted to harsh desert environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; stem segment ratios diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky desert slopes, margins of washes
Elevation: 76-1980 m
Outside California: southern Nevada, western Arizona
Bloom period
Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii blooms Feb-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Erythranthe: Diplacus has a corolla that withers and stays attached and typically grows in dry, rocky places; Erythranthe drops its corolla cleanly and favors wet seeps and streambanks.; vs Mimulus: Diplacus covers the shrubby and small annual western monkeyflowers with ribbed, inflating calyces; Mimulus (in the strict sense) is a fleshy-stemmed perennial with squarish 4-angled stems.; vs Mimetanthe: Diplacus is puberulent to glandular with a distinctly 2-lipped flower; Mimetanthe is densely long-soft-wavy-hairy with tiny yellow flowers and a nearly regular calyx.; vs Collinsia: Diplacus has an open funnel-throated corolla and a 5-ribbed calyx; Collinsia has a sharply 2-lipped flower with the middle lower lobe folded into a keel that hides the stamens.; vs Antirrhinum: Diplacus has an open-throated corolla and free calyx lobes; Antirrhinum (snapdragon) has a closed, pouched throat sealed by a palate and a spurless sac at the base.
Frequently asked questions
Is Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii native to California?
Yes. Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii bloom?
Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii blooms Feb-Jun.
What plant family does Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii belong to?
Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii is in the Phrymaceae family, genus Diplacus.
What habitat does Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii grow in?
Diplacus bigelovii var. bigelovii grows in Rocky desert slopes, margins of washes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Diplacus bigelovii var. cuspidatus — Bigelow's monkeyflower
- Diplacus bolanderi — Bolander's monkeyflower
- Diplacus brandegeei — Santa cruz island monkeyflower
- Diplacus brevipes — Wide-throat yellow monkeyflower
- Diplacus calycinus — Rock bush monkeyflower
- Diplacus clevelandii — Cleveland's bush monkeyflower
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.