Erythranthe purpurea

Little purple monkeyflower

Family: Phrymaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Little purple monkeyflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in the San Bernardino Mountains along small streams on open, gentle slopes at elevations of 1,900 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces red-purple and rose flowers with a delicate two-lipped corolla approximately 8 to 10 millimeters wide. Growing as a tiny plant 0.5 to 7 centimeters tall with fine puberulent (soft hairy) stems, it forms compact clusters in moist streamside environments. Its leaves are small, 3 to 16 millimeters long, and range from elliptic to ovate in shape. The fruit is 4 to 7 millimeters long, complementing the plant's diminutive stature.

Habitat: Along small streams on open, gentle slopes

Bloom period: Jun-Jul

Elevation: 1900-2300 m

Bioregions: SnBr

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