Erythranthe acutidens

Kings river monkeyflower

Family: Phrymaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 3

Kings river monkeyflower is a California native annual found in the western Sierra Nevada foothills near hillside streams and seeps, in partially shaded environments at elevations of 200 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to June, this delicate plant produces rose to lavender flowers with deeply notched petals, creating a soft and intricate bloom. Growing 3 to 30 centimeters tall with a glabrous (smooth, hairless) structure, it forms a distinct basal rosette of leaves at its base. Its leaves are ovate to broadly ovate, ranging 7 to 20 millimeters long, with the lower leaves petioled and upper leaves sessile, featuring rounded to heart-shaped bases. The plant's fruit develops 4 to 9 millimeters long, with a symmetrically swollen calyx that becomes slightly enlarged during fruiting.

Habitat: Near hillside streams or seeps, in partial shade

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 200-2000 m

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