Monardella boydii
Boyd's monardella
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Lamiaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Monardella boydii (Boyd's monardella) is a native California shrub in the Lamiaceae family, recognized by distinctive shrubby desert form.
Boyd's monardella is a rare California native shrub ranked 1B.2 by CNPS, found in the southern central Mojave Desert Mountains, specifically in the Ord and Rodman Mountains, inhabiting desert scrub and juniper woodland at elevations of 1,400 to 1,650 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces white flowers with purple markings, appearing lavender, in compact clusters 10 to 20 millimeters wide. Growing with erect, many-branched stems 12 to 40 centimeters tall that appear gray to silvery, it has a distinctive puberulent texture that highlights its delicate surface. Its narrow leaves are 7 to 15 millimeters long, gray-green or silvery-green, with an acute tip and a slender elliptic shape. The plant's flower clusters feature deciduous bracts that are green to purple-tinged, adding to its subtle and intricate visual character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; distinctive shrubby desert form
Habitat and range
Habitat: Desert scrub, juniper woodland, on canyon bottoms and rocky slopes
Elevation: 1400-1650 m
Bloom period
Monardella boydii blooms Aug-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Mentha: Mint has multiple flower clusters spaced along the stem; Monardella has one terminal pom-pom head per stem.; vs Salvia: Sage has flowers spaced along an elongated spike; Monardella's flowers are densely packed into a rounded head.; vs Veronica: Speedwell has flowers in a loose spike and isn't aromatic; Monardella's flowers form a dense head with mint scent.; vs Phacelia: Phacelia's flower clusters uncurl like a fern; Monardella's form a compact, stationary head with a bract collar.; vs Valeriana: Valerian has tiny flowers in branched clusters; Monardella has larger mint flowers in a single terminal head.
Frequently asked questions
Is Monardella boydii native to California?
Yes. Monardella boydii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Monardella boydii bloom?
Monardella boydii blooms Aug-Oct.
What plant family does Monardella boydii belong to?
Monardella boydii is in the Lamiaceae family, genus Monardella.
Is Monardella boydii rare or endangered?
Monardella boydii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S1?.
What habitat does Monardella boydii grow in?
Monardella boydii grows in Desert scrub, juniper woodland, on canyon bottoms and rocky slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.