Erythranthe cardinalis

Perennials, rhizomatous. Stems usually erect to ascending, freely branched, 25–75 cm, ± glandular-villous or glabrate. Leaves usually cauline; petiole 0 mm; blade palmately veined, elliptic-ovate to ovate or obovate, 20–90 (–110) × 10–38 (–60) mm, thick, base acuminate, subclasping, margins irregularly serrate to dentate, apex acute, surfaces ± glandular-villous to glabrate. Fruiting calyces cylindric to cylindric-campanulate, not inflated, 17–28 (–30) mm, hispid-hirsute to hirsute, lobes 4–7 mm, ovate to ovate-deltate, apex attenuate-acute. Flowers herkogamous, 2–12, axillary at leafy medial to distal nodes. Fruiting pedicels 30–90 (–120) mm. Corollas scarlet to orange-red, rarely yellow, throat yellowish, red-striped, palate red, yellow-villous, not spotted or striped, bilaterally symmetric, strongly bilabiate; tube-throat funnelform, (15–) 20–30 mm, exserted beyond calyx margin; throat open. Styles glabrous. Anthers exserted, white-villous, thecae spreading. Capsules included, 10–16 mm. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat: Moist to wet places along streams, lakes, creek beds, canyon, arroyo, and ravine bottoms, around springs and seepage areas, flood plains, moist clearings and woods edges.
Elevation: (5–)50–2300(–2800) m.

Calif., Nev., Oreg., Wash., Mexico (Baja California)

Discussion

Yellow-flowered populations of Erythranthe cardinalis occur on Cedros Island, Baja California, and in the Siskiyou Mountains of Oregon (R. K. Vickery 1992). They have been documented also on Santa Cruz Island, California.

Populations of Erythranthe cardinalis in King and Yakima counties, Washington, are introduced and naturalized.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa