''Erythranthe'', the monkey-flowers and musk-flowers, is a diverse

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

with more than 120 members (as of 2022) in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Phrymaceae Phrymaceae, also known as the lopseed family, is a small family of flowering plants in the order Lamiales.Peter F. Stevens (2001 onwards). "Phrymaceae" At: Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. At: Botanical Databases At: Missouri Botanical Garden Websi ...

. ''Erythranthe'' was originally described as a separate genus, then generally regarded as a section within the genus ''

Mimulus Mimulus is a plant genus in the family Phrymaceae, which was traditionally placed in family Scrophulariaceae. The genus now contains only seven species, two native to eastern North America and the other five native to Asia, Australia, Africa, ...

'', and recently returned to generic rank. ''Mimulus'' sect. ''

Diplacus ''Diplacus'' is a plant genus in the family Phrymaceae, which was traditionally placed in family Scrophulariaceae. In the 2012 restructuring of ''Mimulus'' by Barker, ''et al''., based largely upon DNA evidence, seven species were left in ''Mimu ...

'' was segregated from ''Mimulus'' as a separate genus at the same time. ''Mimulus'' remains as a small genus of eastern North America and the Southern Hemisphere. Molecular data show ''Erythranthe'' and ''Diplacus'' to be distinct evolutionary lines that are distinct from ''Mimulus'' as strictly defined, although this nomenclature is controversial. Member species are usually annuals or

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennials A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...

. Flowers are red, pink, or yellow, often in various combinations. A large number of the ''Erythranthe'' species grow in moist to wet soils with some growing even in shallow water. They are not very drought resistant, but many of the species now classified as ''Diplacus'' are. Species are found at elevations from oceanside to high mountains as well as a wide variety of climates, though most prefer wet areas such as riverbanks. The largest concentration of species is in western North America, but species are found elsewhere in the United States and Canada, as well as from Mexico to Chile and eastern Asia. Pollination is mostly by either bees or

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...

s. Member species are widely cultivated and are subject to several pests and diseases. Several species are listed as threatened by the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

Description

''Erythranthe'' is a highly diverse genus with the characteristics unifying the various species being axile

placentation Placentation refers to the formation, type and structure, or arrangement of the placenta. The function of placentation is to transfer nutrients, respiratory gases, and water from maternal tissue to a growing embryo, and in some instances to remove ...

and long

pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...

s. Other characteristics of species can vary widely, especially between the sections, and even within some sections. Some species of ''Erythranthe'' are annuals and some are perennials. Flowers are red, pink, purple, or yellow, often in various combinations and shades of those colors. Some species produce copious amounts of aromatic compounds, giving them a

musk Musk (Persian: مشک, ''Mushk'') is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial sub ...

y odor (hence "musk-flowers"). ''Erythranthe'' is used as food by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species, such as the

mouse moth The mouse moth (''Amphipyra tragopoginis'') is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a widespread species with a Holarctic distribution. Distribution Europe (except the extreme north, and not occurring in the south of Spain, Sicily, or the Balkan ...

(''Amphipyra tragopoginis''), as a main part of their diet. Within the section ''Erythranthe'', stems and leaves range from

glabrous Glabrousness (from the Latin '' glaber'' meaning "bald", "hairless", "shaved", "smooth") is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part of ...

hirsute Hirsutism is excessive body hair on parts of the body where hair is normally absent or minimal. The word is from early 17th century: from Latin ''hirsutus'' meaning "hairy". It usually refers to a "male" pattern of hair growth in a female that ...

, and are generally glandular. Leaves can be oblong, elliptical, or oval, with small tooths. Fruiting

s are longer than calyces. Calyces have sharp, definite angles and flat sides. Corollas are deciduous, relatively large (tube-throat long), and strongly red to purplish, magentarose, pink, or white, rarely yellow. ''Erythranthe guttata'' is the most widespread of the genus ''Erythranthe'' and its characteristics are fairly representative of the genus. ''E. guttata'' is tall with disproportionately large long, tubular flowers. Leaves are opposite and oval, long. The species as strictly defined is perennial and spreads with stolons or rhizomes. The stem may be erect or recumbent. In the latter form, roots may develop at lower leaf nodes. Sometimes dwarfed, it may be hairless or have some hairs. Leaves are opposite, round to oval, usually coarsely and irregularly toothed or lobed. The bright yellow flowers are born on a

raceme A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

, most often with five or more flowers. The calyx has five lobes that are much shorter than the flower. Each flower has bilateral symmetry and has two lips. The upper lip usually has two lobes; the lower, three. The lower lip may have one large to many small red to reddish brown spots. The opening to the flower is hairy. The fruit is a two-valved capsule long, containing many seeds. ''

Erythranthe alsinoides ''Erythranthe alsinoides'' is a species of monkeyflower known by the common names wingstem monkeyflower and chickweed monkeyflower. It was formerly known as ''Mimulus alsinoides''. Distribution and habitat It is native to western North America f ...

'' is similar to several species found in the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

. It is an annual herb that blooms from April–June with a preference for shady and moist dense habitats. The plant is hairy to slightly hairy and grows from tall. The stems are often reddish. The leaves are opposite and have a few prominent upper veins. Blades are long. The petiole is about the same length. The flowers are yellow with reddish-brown spots, usually on the lower lip, and the upper and lower lips have fused, growing . Each flower is attached by a

. The fruits are capsules.

Etymology and taxonomy

The derivation of ''Erythranthe'' is from Greek ἐρυθρός ("''erythros''"), red, with ἄνθος ("''anthos''"), flower. They are called monkey-flowers because some species have flowers shaped like a monkey's face. The widely used generic name,

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

''mimus'' meaning "mimic actor", from the Greek ''mimos'' meaning "imitator" also alludes to the fancied monkey resemblance. The stem of ''Erythranthe'' can be either smooth or hairy, and this is known in a few species to be a trait determined by a simple allelic difference. At least '' E. lewisii'' is known to possess " flypaper-type" traps and is apparently protocarnivorous, supplementing its

nutrient A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow, and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi, and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excret ...

s with small insects. Variations in color largely reflect concentrations of

anthocyanin Anthocyanins (), also called anthocyans, are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that, depending on their pH, may appear red, purple, blue, or black. In 1835, the German pharmacist Ludwig Clamor Marquart gave the name Anthokyan to a chemical compo ...

s. The species that are

subshrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or dwarf shrub is a short shrub, and is a woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a related term. "Subshrub" is often used interchangeably with "bush".Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Der ...

s with

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...

y stems were originally placed in the section ''Diplacus'', and this was subsequently made a separate genus. ''Diplacus'' is clearly derived from within ''Mimulus,'' broadly defined, and was not usually considered to be a separate genus. The French botanist

Édouard Spach Édouard Spach (23 November 1801 – 18 May 1879) was a French botanist. The son of a merchant in Strasbourg, in 1824 he went to Paris, where he studied botany with René Desfontaines (1750–1831) and Antoine-Laurent de Jussieu (1748–1836). ...

established ''Erythranthe'' as a separate genus with just the type species ''Erythranthe cardinalis''. In 1885, American botanist

Edward Lee Greene Edward Lee Greene (August 20, 1843–November 10, 1915) was an American botanist known for his numerous publications including the two-part ''Landmarks of Botanical History'' and the describing of over 4,400 species of plants in the American W ...

classified ''Erythranthe'' as a section of ''

'' while adding ''E. lewisii'' and ''E. parishii''. In the 2012 restructuring of ''Mimulus'' by Barker ''et al''., based largely upon DNA evidence, seven species were left in ''Mimulus'' as strictly defined; ''Erythranthe'' was greatly enlarged to include 111 species, based upon axile placentation and long pedicels, 46 placed into ''Diplacus'' (species with parietal placentation and

sessile Sessility, or sessile, may refer to: * Sessility (motility), organisms which are not able to move about * Sessility (botany), flowers or leaves that grow directly from the stem or peduncle of a plant * Sessility (medicine), tumors and polyps that ...

flowers), two placed in ''

Uvedalia ''Uvedalia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Phrymaceae, native to Australia. It was resurrected from ''Mimulus'' in 2012. Species Currently accepted species include: *''Uvedalia clementii'' (Domin) W.R.Barker & Beardsley *''Uved ...

'', and one each placed in ''

Elacholoma ''Elacholoma'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Phrymaceae Phrymaceae, also known as the lopseed family, is a small family of flowering plants in the order Lamiales.Peter F. Stevens (2001 onwards). "Phrymaceae" At: Angiosp ...

'', ''

Mimetanthe ''Mimetanthe'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Phrymaceae. It has only one species, ''Mimetanthe pilosa'', synonym ''Mimulus pilosus'', known by the common names false monkeyflower and downy mimetanthe. It is native to the western Un ...

'', and '' Thyridia''. All of the American genera are still referred to as "monkey-flowers". Views on the evolutionary position of the monkey-flower species have changed. It was long considered to be in the family

Scrophulariaceae The Scrophulariaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the figwort family. The plants are annual and perennial herbs, as well as shrubs. Flowers have bilateral (zygomorphic) or rarely radial (actinomorphic) symmetry. The Scr ...

, but is now placed in Phyrmaceae, primarily on the basis of DNA evidence. The genus ''

Phryma ''Phryma'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Phrymaceae, native to temperate Asia and eastern North America. Taxonomy The genus ''Phryma'' was erected by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 with the sole species ''Phryma leptostachya''. The Japanes ...

'' (comprising only a single species), for which the family is named, is considerably different in morphology from all of the monkey-flowers.. Attempts at crossing species, whether from different sections or within the same section, of ''Erythranthe'' are not always successful. '' E. peregrina'' is an example of a successful naturally occurring hybrid that not only arose independently in two different locations, but is also a rare example of evolutionary recent allopolyploidization, complete chromosomal inheritance.

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended fr ...

's 1876 study of inbreeding depression and self-fertility in South American species was a progenitor for the study of ''Erythranthe'' biology. The genus has become a model system "for studies of evolutionary and ecological functional genomics ... s it... contains a wide array of phenotypic, ecological and genomic diversity." Species under intense genomic study are mostly among the section ''Simiolus'' (''E. guttata'' and relatives) and the section ''Erythranthe'' (including ''E. lewisii'', ''E. cardinalis'', ''E. parishii'', and others). The

genome sequence In the fields of molecular biology and genetics, a genome is all the genetic information of an organism. It consists of nucleotide sequences of DNA (or RNA in RNA viruses). The nuclear genome includes protein-coding genes and non-coding gen ...

of ''E. guttata'' was released in late spring, 2007. Many issues remain in ''Erythranthe'' taxonomy. ''E. guttata'' is highly complex, with many variations apparently reflecting differences in geographic environment and elevation. Molecular geneticists regard the species broadly as including both perennial and annual populations, but there is rationale for treating this complex as several distinct species (perennials are ''E. guttata'', ''E. grandis'', and ''E. corallina''; annuals are ''E. microphylla'' and others). The perennials and annuals differ as groups from each other by an inversion sequence on chromosome 8. Evidence tentatively indicates that the perennials evolved from annual ancestors, although some evidence has been interpreted to indicate that ''E. nasuta'' evolved from ''E. guttata'' in central California between 500,000 and 200,000 years ago and since then become primarily a self-pollinator. Relationships among the apparently closely related ''E. tilingii'', ''E. minor'', and ''E. caespitosa'' are not clearly understood. Some currently recognized species may be just variants of other species: ''E. arenicola'', ''E. brachystylis'', ''E. regni''. Chromosomal issues may affect the classification of some species: ''E. corallina'', ''E. guttata'', ''E. nasuta'', ''E. tilingii'', and ''E. utahensis''.

Species

Species alphabetically

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

accepted the following species and hybrids: * '' Erythranthe acutidens'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * ''

'' (Douglas ex Benth.) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – chickweed monkey-flower (British Columbia to northern California) * '' Erythranthe ampliata'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe androsacea'' (Curran ex Greene) N.S.Fraga – rockjasmine monkey-flower (California) * '' Erythranthe arenaria'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe arenicola'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe arvensis'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe austrolatidens'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe barbata'' (Greene) N.S.Fraga * '' Erythranthe bhutanica'' (Yamazaki) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe bicolor'' (Hartw. ex Benth.) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – yellow and white monkey-flower (California) * '' Erythranthe bodinieri'' (Vaniot) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe brachystylis'' (Edwin) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe bracteosa'' (P.C.Tsoong) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe breviflora'' (Piper) G.L.Nesom – (British Columbia to California to Wyoming) * ''

Erythranthe brevinasuta ''Erythranthe'', the monkey-flowers and musk-flowers, is a diverse plant genus with more than 120 members (as of 2022) in the family Phrymaceae. ''Erythranthe'' was originally described as a separate genus, then generally regarded as a section w ...

'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe breweri'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – Brewer's monkey-flower (British Columbia to California to Colorado) * '' Erythranthe bridgesii'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom – (South America) * '' Erythranthe caespitosa'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe calcicola'' N.S.Fraga * '' Erythranthe calciphila'' (Gentry) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe cardinalis'' (Douglas ex Benth.) Spach – scarlet monkey-flower (southwestern United States and Baja California) * '' Erythranthe carsonensis'' N.S.Fraga – Carson Valley monkey-flower (California and Nevada) * '' Erythranthe charlestonensis'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe chinatiensis'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe cinnabarina'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe corallina'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe cordata'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe cuprea'' (Dombrain) G.L.Nesom – ''Flor de cobre'' (Eng: copper flower) (central and southern Chile) * '' Erythranthe decora'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe dentata'' (Nutt. ex Benth.) G.L.Nesom – toothleaf monkey-flower, coastal monkey-flower (British Columbia to northern California) * '' Erythranthe dentiloba'' (B.L.Rob. & Fernald) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe depressa'' (Phil.) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe diffusa'' (A.L.Grant) N.S.Fraga * '' Erythranthe diminuens'' G.L.Nesom – (Sonora, Mexico) * '' Erythranthe discolor'' (A.L.Grant) N.S.Fraga * '' Erythranthe eastwoodiae'' (Rydb.) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga * '' Erythranthe erubescens'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe exigua'' (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – San Bernardino Mountains monkey-flower (southern California, Baja California) * '' Erythranthe filicaulis'' (S.Watson) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – slender-stemmed monkey-flower (California) * '' Erythranthe filicifolia'' (Sexton, K.G.Ferris & Schoenig) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe flammea'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe floribunda'' (Douglas ex Lindl.) G.L.Nesom – manyflowered monkey-flower (western Canada, Pacific Coast, Rocky Mountains, northern Mexico) * '' Erythranthe gemmipara'' (W.A.Weber) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – Rocky Mountain monkey-flower (Colorado) * '' Erythranthe geniculata'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe geyeri'' (Torr.) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe glabrata'' (Kunth) G.L.Nesom – roundleaf monkey-flower (widespread in North America, Mesoamerica and South America) * '' Erythranthe glaucescens'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom – shieldbract monkey-flower (California) * '' Erythranthe gracilipes'' (B.L.Rob.) N.S.Fraga – slenderstalk monkey-flower (California) * '' Erythranthe grandis'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe grayi'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom * ''

Erythranthe guttata ''Erythranthe guttata'', with the common names seep monkeyflower and common yellow monkeyflower, is a yellow bee-pollinated annual or perennial plant. It was formerly known as ''Mimulus guttatus''. ''Erythranthe guttata'' is a model organism f ...

'' (Fisch. ex DC.) G.L.Nesom – common large monkey-flower, common monkey-flower, stream monkey-flower, seep monkey-flower (AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, ID, MI, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, NY, OR, PA, SD, UT, WA, WY; Canada: BC, Yukon; Mexico to Guatemala; naturalized in Britain) * '' Erythranthe hallii'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe hardhamiae'' N.S.Fraga * ''

Erythranthe howaldiae ''Erythranthe'', the monkey-flowers and musk-flowers, is a diverse plant genus with more than 120 members (as of 2022) in the family Phrymaceae. ''Erythranthe'' was originally described as a separate genus, then generally regarded as a section w ...

'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe hymenophylla'' (Meinke) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe inamoena'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe inconspicua'' (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom – (syns. ''Mimulus acutidens'' and ''M. grayi'') * '' Erythranthe inflata'' (Miq.) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe inflatula'' (Suksd.) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe jungermannioides'' (Suksd.) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe karakormiana'' (Yamazaki) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * ''

Erythranthe laciniata ''Erythranthe laciniata'', synonym ''Mimulus laciniatus'', is an uncommon species of flowering plant known by the common name cutleaf monkeyflower, it is endemic to the High Sierra Nevada in California. Description ''Erythranthe laciniata'' ...

'' (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe lagunensis'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe latidens'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom – broadtooth monkey-flower (southern California, Baja California) * '' Erythranthe lewisii'' (Pursh) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – great purple monkey-flower, Lewis' monkey-flower (Alaska to California to Colorado) * '' Erythranthe linearifolia'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga * ''

Erythranthe lutea ''Erythranthe lutea'' is a species of monkeyflower Monkey flower can refer to: *Several genera of plant family Phrymaceae, including: ** ''Diplacus'' ** ''Erythranthe'' ** ''Mimulus'' *Various snapdragon-like Lamiales, including: ** ''Linaria v ...

'' (L.) G.L.Nesom – yellow monkey-flower, monkey musk, blotched monkey-flower, and blood-drop-emlets (North and South America, naturalized in Britain) * '' Erythranthe madrensis'' (Seem.) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe marmorata'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe michiganensis'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom – Michigan monkey-flower (Michigan) * '' Erythranthe microphylla'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe minima'' (C.Bohlen) J.M.Watson & A.R.Flores– (Michoacan, Mexico) * '' Erythranthe minor'' (A. Nelson) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe montioides'' (A.Gray) N.S.Fraga – montia-like monkey-flower (California, Nevada) * '' Erythranthe moschata'' (Douglas ex Lindl.) G.L.Nesom – (North and South America, naturalized in Britain and Finland) * '' Erythranthe naiandina'' (J.M.Watson & C.Bohlen) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe nasuta'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe nelsonii'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – In 2014 Nesom lists as a synonym of ''Erythranthe verbenacea'' * '' Erythranthe nepalensis'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom (Asia) * '' Erythranthe norrisii'' (Heckard & Shevock) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe nudata'' (Curran ex Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe orizabae'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom – (Mexico) * '' Erythranthe pallens'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe palmeri'' (A.Gray) N.S.Fraga – Palmer's monkey-flower (central California south to Baja California) * '' Erythranthe pardalis'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe parishii'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – Parish's monkey-flower (southern California, western Nevada, Baja California) * '' Erythranthe parvula'' (Wooton & Standl.) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe patula'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom * ''

Erythranthe pennellii ''Erythranthe'', the monkey-flowers and musk-flowers, is a diverse plant genus with more than 120 members (as of 2022) in the family (biology), family Phrymaceae. ''Erythranthe'' was originally described as a separate genus, then generally regar ...

'' (Gentry) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe percaulis'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe platyphylla'' (Franch.) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe plotocalyx'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe primuloides'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – primrose monkey-flower (WA, OR, CA, ID, NV, UT, AZ, MT, NM) * '' Erythranthe procera'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe ptilota'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe pulsiferae'' (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom – candelabrum monkey-flower (Washington to northern California) * '' Erythranthe purpurea'' (A.L.Grant) N.S.Fraga – little purple monkey-flower (southern California, Baja California) * '' Erythranthe regni'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe rhodopetra'' N.S.Fraga * '' Erythranthe rubella'' (A.Gray) N.S.Fraga – little redstem monkey-flower (CA, NV, UT, WY, CO, NM, TX) * '' Erythranthe rupestris'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga * '' Erythranthe scouleri'' (Hook.) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe serpentinicola'' D.J.Keil * '' Erythranthe sessilifolia'' (Maxim.) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe shevockii'' (Heckard & Bacig.) N.S.Fraga – Kelso Creek monkey-flower (

Kern County, California Kern County is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 909,235. Its county seat is Bakersfield, California, Bakersfield. Kern County comprise ...

) * '' Erythranthe sierrae'' N.S.Fraga * '' Erythranthe sinoalba'' G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe sookensis'' B.G. Benedict – newly discovered 2012, originally named ''M. sookensis'' (British Columbia to northern California) * '' Erythranthe stolonifera'' (Novopokr.) G.L.Nesom – (Russia) * ''

Erythranthe suksdorfii ''Erythranthe suksdorfii'', with the common names Suksdorf's monkeyflower and miniature monkeyflower, is an annual plant, annual flowering plant in the family Phrymaceae (Lopseed). It was formerly known as ''Mimulus suksdorfii''. A specimen colle ...

'' (A.Gray) N.S.Fraga – Suksdorf's monkey-flower and miniature monkey-flower (Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico) * '' Erythranthe szechuanensis'' (Pai) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe taylorii'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe tenella'' (Bunge) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * '' Erythranthe thermalis'' (A. Nelson) G.L.Nesom – (Yellowstone National Park) * '' Erythranthe tibetica'' (P.C.Tsoong & H.P.Yang) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) * ''

Erythranthe tilingii ''Erythranthe tilingii'' is a species of monkeyflower known by the common name Tiling's monkeyflower. It was formerly known as ''Mimulus tilingii''. Distribution It is native to much of western North America, from Alaska to California to New Me ...

'' (Regel) G.L.Nesom – large mountain monkey-flower, Tiling's monkey-flower (Alaska to New Mexico) * '' Erythranthe trinitiensis'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe unimaculata'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe utahensis'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe verbenacea'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga * '' Erythranthe veronicifolia'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe visibilis'' G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe washingtonensis'' (Gand.) G.L.Nesom * '' Erythranthe willisii'' G.L.Nesom Hybrids: * ''Erythranthe'' × ''burnetii'' (S.Arn.) Silverside * ''Erythranthe'' × ''hybrida'' (Voss) Silverside * ''Erythranthe'' × ''maculosa'' (T.Moore) Mabb. * ''Erythranthe'' × ''robertsii'' (Silverside) G.L.Nesom, syn. ''

Erythranthe peregrina ''Erythranthe peregrina'' is a species of Erythranthe, monkeyflower. Its botanical Latin, Latin name means "foreign", or more loosely "the foreigner". This species is a rare example of Polyploid#Polyploidization and speciation, polyploidization a ...

'' (M. Vallejo-Marin) G.L.Nesom – newly discovered 2012, originally named ''M. peregrinus'' (Scotland)

Species sectionally

In a 2014 paper, G. L. Nesom and N. S. Fraga placed ''Erythranthe'' members into the following 12 sections (unless listed below as "newly discovered"). Names accepted are from Plants of the World Online. *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Simiolus'' :'' Erythranthe arenicola'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe arvensis'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe brachystylis'' (Edwin) G.L.Nesom :''

'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe caespitosa'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe calciphila'' (Gentry) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe charlestonensis'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe chinatiensis'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe corallina'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe cordata'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe decora'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe diminuens'' G.L.Nesom – newly discovered in 2017 and added to this list (Sonora, Mexico) :'' Erythranthe dentiloba'' (B.L.Rob. & Fernald) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe filicifolia'' (Sexton, K.G.Ferris & Schoenig) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe geyeri'' (Torr.) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe glabrata'' (Kunth) G.L.Nesom – roundleaf monkey-flower (widespread in North America, Mesoamerica and South America) :'' Erythranthe glaucescens'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom – shieldbract monkey-flower (California) :'' Erythranthe grandis'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :''

'' (Fisch. ex DC.) G.L.Nesom – common large monkey-flower, common monkey-flower, stream monkey-flower, seep monkey-flower (AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, ID, MI, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, NY, OR, PA, SD, UT, WA, WY; Canada: BC, Yukon; Mexico to Guatemala; naturalized in Britain) :'' Erythranthe hallii'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe inamoena'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :''

'' (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe lagunensis'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe madrensis'' (Seem.) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe marmorata'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe michiganensis'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom – Michigan monkey-flower (Michigan) :'' Erythranthe microphylla'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe minima'' (C.Bohlen) J.M.Watson & A.R.Flores – (Michoacan, Mexico) :'' Erythranthe minor'' (A. Nelson) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe nasuta'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe nudata'' (Curran ex Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe pallens'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe pardalis'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe parvula'' (Wooton & Standl.) G.L.Nesom :''

'' (Gentry) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe percaulis'' G.L.Nesom :''Erythranthe peregrina'' M. Vallejo-Marin, synonym of ''Erythranthe'' × ''robertsii'' – newly discovered 2012, originally named ''M. peregrinus'' (Scotland) :'' Erythranthe regni'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe scouleri'' (Hook.) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe sookensis'' B.G. Benedict – originally named ''M. sookensis'' (British Columbia to northern California) :'' Erythranthe thermalis'' (A. Nelson) G.L.Nesom – (Yellowstone National Park) :''

'' (Regel) G.L.Nesom – large mountain monkey-flower, Tiling's monkey-flower (Alaska to New Mexico) :'' Erythranthe unimaculata'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe utahensis'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe visibilis'' G.L.Nesom :*(South America) :''Erythranthe acaulis'' (Phil.) G.L.Nesom, synonym of '' Erythranthe depressa'' var. ''depressa'' :''Erythranthe andicola'' (Kunth) G.L.Nesom, synonym of '' Erythranthe glabrata'' :'' Erythranthe cuprea'' (Dombrain) G.L.Nesom – ''Flor de cobre'' (Eng: copper flower) (central and southern Chile) :'' Erythranthe depressa'' (Phil.) G.L.Nesom :''Erythranthe lacerata'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom, synonym of ''

'' var. ''lutea'' :''

'' (L.) G.L.Nesom – yellow monkey-flower, monkey musk, blotched monkey-flower, and blood-drop-emlets (North and South America, naturalized in Britain) :'' Erythranthe naiandina'' (J.M.Watson & C.Bohlen) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe parviflora'' (Lindl.) G.L.Nesom :''Erythranthe pilosiuscula'' (Kunth) G.L.Nesom, synonym of '' Erythranthe glabrata'' *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Erythranthe'' :'' Erythranthe cardinalis'' (Douglas ex Benth.) Spach – scarlet monkey-flower (southwestern United States and Baja California) :'' Erythranthe cinnabarina'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe eastwoodiae'' (Rydb.) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga :'' Erythranthe erubescens'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe flammea'' :'' Erythranthe lewisii'' (Pursh) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – great purple monkey-flower, Lewis' monkey-flower (Alaska to California to Colorado) :'' Erythranthe nelsonii'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – In 2014 Nesom lists as a synonym of ''Erythranthe verbenacea'' :'' Erythranthe parishii'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – Parish's monkey-flower (southern California, western Nevada, Baja California) :'' Erythranthe rupestris'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga :'' Erythranthe verbenacea'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Mimulosma'' :'' Erythranthe ampliata'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe arenaria'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe austrolatidens'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe breviflora'' (Piper) G.L.Nesom – (British Columbia to California to Wyoming) :'' Erythranthe floribunda'' (Douglas ex Lindl.) G.L.Nesom – manyflowered monkey-flower (western Canada, Pacific Coast, Rocky Mountains, northern Mexico) :'' Erythranthe geniculata'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe hymenophylla'' (Meinke) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe inflatula'' (Suksd.) G.L.Nesom :''Erythranthe inodora'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom, synonym of '' Erythranthe moschata'' :'' Erythranthe jungermannioides'' (Suksd.) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe latidens'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom – broadtooth monkey-flower (southern California, Baja California) :''Erythranthe moniliformis'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom, synonym of '' Erythranthe moschata'' :'' Erythranthe moschata'' (Douglas ex Lindl.) G.L.Nesom – (North and South America, naturalized in Britain and Finland) :'' Erythranthe norrisii'' (Heckard & Shevock) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe patula'' (Pennell) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe pulsiferae'' (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom – candelabrum monkey-flower (Washington to northern California) :'' Erythranthe taylorii'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe trinitiensis'' G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe washingtonensis'' (Gand.) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe stolonifera'' (Novopokr.) G.L.Nesom – (Russia) *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Achlyopitheca'' :'' Erythranthe acutidens'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe grayi'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom :'' Erythranthe inconspicua'' (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom – (syns. ''Mimulus acutidens'' and ''M. grayi'') *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Paradantha'' :'' Erythranthe androsacea'' (Curran ex Greene) N.S.Fraga – rockjasmine monkey-flower (California) :'' Erythranthe barbata'' (Greene) N.S.Fraga :'' Erythranthe calcicola'' N.S.Fraga :'' Erythranthe carsonensis'' N.S.Fraga – Carson Valley monkey-flower (California and Nevada) :'' Erythranthe diffusa'' (A.L.Grant) N.S.Fraga :'' Erythranthe discolor'' (A.L.Grant) N.S.Fraga :'' Erythranthe gracilipes'' (B.L.Rob.) N.S.Fraga – slenderstalk monkey-flower (California) :'' Erythranthe hardhamiae'' N.S.Fraga :'' Erythranthe montioides'' (A.Gray) N.S.Fraga – montia-like monkey-flower (California, Nevada) :'' Erythranthe palmeri'' (A.Gray) N.S.Fraga – Palmer's monkey-flower (central California south to Baja California) :'' Erythranthe purpurea'' (A.L.Grant) N.S.Fraga – little purple monkey-flower (southern California, Baja California) :'' Erythranthe rhodopetra'' N.S.Fraga :'' Erythranthe rubella'' (A.Gray) N.S.Fraga – little redstem monkey-flower (CA, NV, UT, WY, CO, NM, TX) :'' Erythranthe shevockii'' (Heckard & Bacig.) N.S.Fraga – Kelso Creek monkey-flower (

) :'' Erythranthe sierrae'' N.S.Fraga :''

'' (A.Gray) N.S.Fraga – Suksdorf's monkey-flower and miniature monkey-flower (Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico) *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Monantha'' :'' Erythranthe linearifolia'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga :'' Erythranthe primuloides'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – primrose monkey-flower (WA, OR, CA, ID, NV, UT, AZ, MT, NM) *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Monimanthe'' :'' Erythranthe bicolor'' (Hartw. ex Benth.) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – yellow and white monkey-flower (California) :'' Erythranthe breweri'' (Greene) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – Brewer's monkey-flower (British Columbia to California to Colorado) :'' Erythranthe filicaulis'' (S.Watson) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – slender-stemmed monkey-flower (California) *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Alsinimimulus'' :''

'' (Douglas ex Benth.) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – chickweed monkey-flower (British Columbia to northern California) *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Simigemma'' :'' Erythranthe gemmipara'' (W.A.Weber) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – Rocky Mountain monkey-flower (Colorado) *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Exigua'' :'' Erythranthe exigua'' (A.Gray) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga – San Bernardino Mountains monkey-flower (southern California, Baja California) *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Sinopitheca'' :'' Erythranthe bracteosa'' (P.C.Tsoong) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe bridgesii'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom – (South America) :'' Erythranthe platyphylla'' (Franch.) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe sessilifolia'' (Maxim.) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe tibetica'' (P.C.Tsoong & H.P.Yang) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) *''Erythranthe'' sect. ''Mimulasia'' :'' Erythranthe dentata'' (Nutt. ex Benth.) G.L.Nesom – toothleaf monkey-flower, coastal monkey-flower (British Columbia to northern California) :'' Erythranthe orizabae'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom – (Mexico) :'' Erythranthe bhutanica'' (Yamazaki) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe bodinieri'' (Vaniot) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe inflata'' (Miq.) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe karakormiana'' (Yamazaki) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe nepalensis'' (Benth.) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe procera'' (A.L.Grant) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe sinoalba'' G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe szechuanensis'' (Pai) G.L.Nesom – (Asia) :'' Erythranthe tenella'' (Bunge) G.L.Nesom – (Asia)

Reproductive biology

Before recognition of ''E. cinnabarina'' as a species, ''E. lewisii'' was interpreted to be the sister of ''E. cardinalis''. It is now clear that ''E. cinnabarina'' and ''E. cardinalis'' are sister species and that ''E. lewisii'' and ''E. erubescens'' are sister species. In the hypothesized

phylogeny A phylogenetic tree (also phylogeny or evolutionary tree Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.) is a branching diagram or a tree showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological spec ...

, the 'cinnabarina/cardinalis' pair is sister to the 'lewisii/erubescens' pair. ''Erythranthe lewisii'' is a model system for studying pollinator-based

reproductive isolation The mechanisms of reproductive isolation are a collection of evolutionary mechanisms, behaviors and physiological processes critical for speciation. They prevent members of different species from producing offspring, or ensure that any offspring ...

. ''E. lewisii'' is

pollinated Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, birds, ...

by bees, primarily ''

Bombus A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related gener ...

'' and ''

Osmia Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named for their habit of using mud or other "masonry" products in constructing their nests, which are made in naturally ...

'', which feed on its

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

and transfer its

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...

. Although it is fully interfertile with its sister species ''E. cardinalis'', the two do not interbreed in the wild, a difference ascribed primarily to pollinator differences; ''E. cardinalis'' is pollinated by hummingbirds, especially ''

Calypte anna Anna's hummingbird (''Calypte anna'') is a medium-sized bird species of the family Trochilidae. It was named after Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli. It is native to western coastal regions of North America. In the early 20th century, Anna's hu ...

'' and ''

Selasphorus rufus The rufous hummingbird (''Selasphorus rufus'') is a small hummingbird, about long with a long, straight and slender bill. These birds are known for their extraordinary flight skills, flying during their migratory transits. It is one of nine s ...

''. It was previously reported that evidence strongly linking pollination preference to color differences between the species, but this has been disproven. ''E. erubescens'' is mostly pollinated by '' Bombus balteatus'', '' B. centralis'', '' B. flavifrons'', and '' B. vosnesenskii''. ''Erythranthe parishii'' is also closely related to ''E. lewisii'', but it has evolved in a different direction as a self-pollinated species with small flowers. ''E. eastwoodiae'', ''E. nelsonii'', ''E. rupestris'', and ''E. verbenacea'' are also pollinated by hummingbirds. These four species as well as ''E. cardinalis'' and ''E. nelsonii'' produce bisexual flowers and are

self-compatible Self-incompatibility (SI) is a general name for several genetic mechanisms that prevent self-fertilization in sexually reproducing organisms, and thus encourage outcrossing and allogamy. It is contrasted with separation of sexes among individuals ...

. This approximate ratio of insect vs hummingbird pollination holds true for the rest of the genus. There have been two separate transformations to hummingbird pollination. Pollination changes are highly affected by changes in flower morphology. ''E. cardinalis'' and its sister species ''E. cinnabarina'' likely evolved via

allopatric speciation Allopatric speciation () – also referred to as geographic speciation, vicariant speciation, or its earlier name the dumbbell model – is a mode of speciation that occurs when biological populations become geographically isolated from ...

. ''Erythranthe guttata'' is pollinated by bees, such as ''

Bombus impatiens ''Bombus impatiens'', the common eastern bumble bee, is the most commonly encountered bumblebee across much of eastern North America. They can be found in the Eastern temperate forest region of the eastern United States, southern Canada, and the ...

''. Inbreeding reduces flower quantity and size and pollen quality and quantity. ''E. guttata'' also displays a high degree of

self-pollination Self-pollination is a form of pollination in which pollen from the same plant arrives at the Stigma (botany), stigma of a flower (in flowering plants) or at the ovule (in gymnosperms). There are two types of self-pollination: in autogamy, pollen i ...

. '' Erythranthe nasuta'' evolved from ''E. guttata'' in central California between 200,000 and 500,000 years ago and since then has become primarily a self-pollinator.

Distribution and habitat

Over 80% of ''Erythranthe'' species are found in western

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, especially California, Oregon, and Washington. Genus members are also found in Baja California, Alaska, British Columbia, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and to a lesser extent the midwestern states, northeastern states, Canada, and Latin America. Members of this genus are found in eastern Asia; several species of which have a high degree of similarity with some of the species found in North and South America. A large number of the species grow in moist to wet soils with some growing even in shallow water. They are not very drought resistant, but the species now classified as ''Diplacus'' are. Some species grow in dry areas, others in wet habitats, such as members of the section ''Simiolus'', which are

hydrophilic A hydrophile is a molecule or other molecular entity that is attracted to water molecules and tends to be dissolved by water.Liddell, H.G. & Scott, R. (1940). ''A Greek-English Lexicon'' Oxford: Clarendon Press. In contrast, hydrophobes are no ...

. Both overall plant size and corolla size vary greatly throughout the genus. A minimum of 25 of the species are listed as threatened by the

. Species are found at elevations from oceanside to high mountains as well as a wide variety of climates, though most prefer wet areas such as riverbanks.

Pests and diseases

''Diplacus'', ''Erythranthe'', and ''Mimulus'' are subject to a very similar set of pests and diseases. The pests these genera are susceptible to include:

gall midge Cecidomyiidae is a family of flies known as gall midges or gall gnats. As the name implies, the larvae of most gall midges feed within plant tissue, creating abnormal plant growths called galls. Cecidomyiidae are very fragile small insects us ...

s, golden

mealybug Mealybugs are insects in the family (biology), family Pseudococcidae, unarmored scale insects found in moist, warm habitats. Many species are considered pest (animal), pests as they feed on plant juices of greenhouse plants, house plants and sub ...

thrips Thrips ( order Thysanoptera) are minute (mostly long or less), slender insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouthparts. Different thrips species feed mostly on plants by puncturing and sucking up the contents, although a few are ...

, and seed bugs. Diseases they are susceptible to include:

crown gall ''Agrobacterium'' is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria established by H. J. Conn that uses horizontal gene transfer to cause tumors in plants. ''Agrobacterium tumefaciens'' is the most commonly studied species in this genus. ''Agrobacterium'' i ...

, aster yellows phytoplasma,

impatiens necrotic spot virus ''Impatiens necrotic spot orthotospovirus'' (INSV) is a plant pathogenic virus of the order ''Bunyavirales''. It was originally believed to be another strain of '' Tomato spotted wilt virus,'' but genetic investigations revealed them to be separ ...

(INSV),

leaf spot A leaf spot is a limited, discoloured, diseased area of a leaf that is caused by fungal, bacterial or viral plant diseases, or by injuries from nematodes, insects, environmental factors, toxicity or herbicides. These discoloured spots or lesions ...

powdery mildew Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants. Powdery mildew diseases are caused by many different species of ascomycete fungi in the order Erysiphales. Powdery mildew is one of the easier plant diseases to identify, as ...

— especially '' Erysiphe brunneopunctata'' and ''

Erysiphe cichoracearum ''Erysiphe cichoracearum'' is a fungal plant pathogen that causes powdery mildew disease of cucurbits, including melon, cucumber, pumpkin, and squash. The primary symptoms are white, powder-like spots on the leaves and stems. ''Sphaerotheca fu ...

'', botrytis blight, pythium root rot,

rust Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH ...

cucumber mosaic virus ''Cucumber mosaic virus'' (CMV) is a plant pathogenic virus in the family ''Bromoviridae''. This virus has a worldwide distribution and a very wide host range, having the reputation of the widest host range of any known plant virus. It can be tra ...

(CMV), as well as

mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. ( ...

and

nutrient deficiencies Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is "a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients" which adversely affects the body's tissues ...

Human culture

Horticulture

horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

, several species,

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

s and hybrids are used. Because of their wide range and many variations, the most important are those derived from ''E. gutatta'' and ''E. lutea''. ''E. cuprea'' alone has at least 10 cultivars and hybrids.

Culinary uses

''Erythranthe'' species tend to concentrate

sodium chloride Sodium chloride , commonly known as salt (although sea salt also contains other chemical salts), is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions. With molar masses of 22.99 and 35.45 g ...

and other salts absorbed from the soils in which they grow in their leaves and stem tissues. Native Americans and early travelers in the American West used this plant as a salt substitute to season wild game. The entire plant is edible, but reported to be very salty and bitter unless well cooked. The juice from the leaves was used as a

poultice A poultice, also called a cataplasm, is a soft moist mass, often heated and medicated, that is spread on cloth and placed over the skin to treat an aching, inflamed, or painful part of the body. It can be used on wounds, such as cuts. 'Poultice' ...

for mild skin irritations and burns. Leaves can be used in salads and soups; flowers taste best before blooming. ''E. lutea'' has been used for cooking in Peru.

Alternative medical use

''Erythranthe'' has been listed as one of the 38 plants that are used to prepare Bach flower remedies, a kind of

alternative medicine Alternative medicine is any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine despite lacking biological plausibility, testability, repeatability, or evidence from clinical trials. Complementary medicine (CM), complementary and alt ...

promoted for its effect on health. However, according to

Cancer Research UK Cancer Research UK (CRUK) is the world's largest independent cancer research organization. It is registered as a charity in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man, and was formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and t ...

, "there is no scientific evidence to prove that flower remedies can control, cure or prevent any type of disease, including cancer".

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{{Authority control Lamiales genera Plant models