Diplacus graniticola
Granite-crack monkeyflower
(c) Ryan Donnelly, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ryan Donnelly · licence
Family: Phrymaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Diplacus graniticola (Granite-crack monkeyflower) is a native California annual in the Phrymaceae family, recognized by annual in granite cracks.
Granite-crack monkeyflower is a California native annual found in granite rock formations, particularly in cracks and crevices at elevations of 300 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from April to September, this plant produces striking pink to magenta flowers with a yellow throat, delicate blossoms nestled among rocky terrain. Growing with slender stems 6 to 15 centimeters tall, the plant is densely covered in glandular hairs that give it a soft, fuzzy appearance. Its leaves are 20 to 40 millimeters long, ranging from lanceolate to ovate, providing a compact green framework for the vibrant flowers. The small flowers emerge on short 1 to 3 millimeter pedicels, with calyxes 8 to 12 millimeters long that are dark-ribbed and glandular-hairy.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; annual in granite cracks
Habitat and range
Habitat: Granite cracks and crevices
Elevation: generally 300-2100 m
Bloom period
Diplacus graniticola blooms Apr-Sep.
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 graniticola native to California?
Yes. Diplacus graniticola is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Diplacus graniticola bloom?
Diplacus graniticola blooms Apr-Sep.
What plant family does Diplacus graniticola belong to?
Diplacus graniticola is in the Phrymaceae family, genus Diplacus.
What habitat does Diplacus graniticola grow in?
Diplacus graniticola grows in Granite cracks and crevices.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.