Monardella hypoleuca subsp. intermedia

intermediate monardella

Family: Lamiaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Intermediate monardella is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native shrub found in the northwestern Peninsular Ranges in Orange, western Riverside, and northern San Diego counties, growing in chaparral, oak woodland, and occasionally conifer forest at elevations of 200 to 1,250 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces white to lavender flowers in compact clusters 20 to 35 millimeters wide with obtuse lobes. Growing with matted, rhizomatous stems 10 to 55 centimeters tall that are strongly sweet-scented and sparsely short-hairy, it forms a low, spreading habit. Its leaves are lance-linear to lanceolate, 20 to 50 millimeters long and 3 to 9 millimeters wide, with slightly arched margins and a tomentose underside. The plant's unique sweet fragrance and distinctive leaf arrangement make it a notable component of its dry, rocky habitat.

Habitat: Chaparral, oak woodland, occasionally conifer forest, dry slopes

Bloom period: Jun-Sep

Elevation: 200-1250 m

Bioregions: nw PR (Orange, w Riverside, n San Diego cos.).

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