Erythranthe carsonensis

Carson valley monkeyflower

Family: Phrymaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Carson valley monkeyflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in the Great Basin region in sagebrush and bitterbrush scrub at elevations of 1,400 to 1,580 meters. Flowering from April to June, this delicate plant produces yellow flowers with distinctive red markings on the lower lip, creating a striking contrast against its small size. Growing as a tiny plant just 1 to 7 centimeters tall with sparsely glandular stems, it thrives in coarse granite soils. Its leaves are narrow, ranging from 3 to 17 millimeters long and 1 to 5 millimeters wide, with a linear to spoon-shaped form. The fruit is compact, measuring 3 to 6 millimeters in length, nestled in a membranous calyx with small, acute lobes.

Habitat: Coarse granite soils in sagebrush/bitterbrush scrub

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 1400-1580 m

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