Diplacus bigelovii var. cuspidatus

Bigelow's monkeyflower

Family: Phrymaceae · Type: annual · Native

Bigelow's monkeyflower is a California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada and northern Mojave Desert regions on rocky desert slopes and wash margins at elevations of 15 to 3,350 meters. Flowering from February to June, this plant produces yellow to orange flowers with distinctive sharp-pointed petals. Growing with slender stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it has a delicate and sprawling growth habit. Its leaves are uniquely shaped, with proximal leaves widely ovate to nearly round, and distal leaves that are as wide or wider, typically ending in sharp acute tips. The plant's distinctive leaf structure and ability to thrive in harsh desert environments make it a remarkable species of arid landscapes.

Habitat: Rocky desert slopes, margins of washes

Bloom period: Feb-Jun

Elevation: 15-3350 m

Bioregions: s SNE, n D

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.