Erythranthe moschata

Musk monkeyflower

Family: Phrymaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Musk monkeyflower is a California native perennial found in the Central California Floristic Province and Great Basin in seeps, streambanks, and partially shaded areas at elevations up to 2,900 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces yellow flowers with a distinctive musk scent, blooming on pedicels 10 to 40 millimeters long. Growing 2 to 30 centimeters tall with spreading to erect stems, it has a rhizomatous growth habit and ranges from nearly glabrous to densely slimy-hairy. Its leaves are oblong to ovate, 10 to 50 millimeters long with petioles up to 15 millimeters, displaying a pinnate venation pattern. The plant's unique musk fragrance and yellow flowers with a deeply grooved throat make it a notable species in its habitat.

Habitat: Common. Seeps, streambanks, generally partial shade

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: < 2900 m

Bioregions: CA-FP, GB

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