Gambelia speciosa

Showy island snapdragon, showy greenbright, Showy Greenbright

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Showy island snapdragon is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern Channel Islands in rocky cliffs and canyons at elevations of 3 to 500 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces bright red flowers 2 to 2.5 centimeters long with distinctive arching, pendulous stems. Growing up to 1 meter tall and spreading to 2 meters wide, it develops whorled leaves that are relatively thick. Its leaves are arranged in whorls on mature plants, with opposite arrangement on seedlings, creating a distinctive architectural form. In fruit, the plant develops asymmetric ovoid seed capsules 6 to 7 millimeters long with a notably larger lower chamber.

Habitat: Rocky cliffs, canyons

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: 3-500 m

Bioregions: s ChI

California counties: Los Angeles

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