Diplacus mohavensis
Mojave monkeyflower, Mojave Monkeyflower
(c) Tony Iwane, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Phrymaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Diplacus mohavensis (Mojave monkeyflower) is a native California herb in the Phrymaceae family, recognized by desert habitat, red-purple coloration, and radial flower form.
Mojave monkeyflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in western-central San Bernardino County in gravelly banks of desert washes at elevations of 600 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces red-purple flowers with white borders on small delicate stems, creating a striking contrast against its desert habitat. Growing low to the ground with cylindric stems just 2 to 10 centimeters tall, it has a compact and understated growth habit. Its narrow elliptic leaves measure 7 to 27 millimeters long and are tinged with a distinctive red-purple coloration. The flower's corolla features a purple-brown base with delicate veins that fade into a white border, making this tiny desert annual a subtle botanical treasure.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; distinguished by desert habitat, red-purple coloration, and radial flower form
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravelly banks of desert washes
Elevation: 600-1000 m
Bloom period
Diplacus mohavensis blooms Apr-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 mohavensis native to California?
Yes. Diplacus mohavensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Diplacus mohavensis bloom?
Diplacus mohavensis blooms Apr-May.
What plant family does Diplacus mohavensis belong to?
Diplacus mohavensis is in the Phrymaceae family, genus Diplacus.
Is Diplacus mohavensis rare or endangered?
Diplacus mohavensis carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
What habitat does Diplacus mohavensis grow in?
Diplacus mohavensis grows in Gravelly banks of desert washes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.