FNA: Erythranthe geniculata vs. Erythranthe willisii

	Erythranthe geniculata	Erythranthe willisii
	bent-stem monkeyflower, Dudley's monkeyflower	Willis' monkeyflower
Habit	Annuals, fibrous-rooted or filiform-taprooted.	Perennials, rhizomatous, rarely rooting at proximal nodes, usually forming large colonies, rhizomes white, usually highly branching.
Stems	ascending to decumbent or prostrate, geniculate at nodes, simple or diffusely branched, 5–60 cm, moderately villous, hairs 0.8–2 mm, multicellular, eglandular and also 0.1–0.3 mm, stipitate-glandular.	usually sprawling-decumbent, branched, sometimes simple, 7–45 cm, nodes (2–)4–15+, densely glandular-villous, hairs 1–2 mm, glandular, internodes evident.
Leaves	basal and cauline, basal usually deciduous by flowering; petiole 2–10(–35) mm; blade pinnately to subpinnately veined, broadly ovate or elliptic-ovate to triangular, 8–35 × 5–30 mm, base cuneate to rounded or subcordate, margins serrate or dentate, teeth 3–10 per side, apex acute to obtuse or rounded, surfaces moderately villous, hairs 0.8–2 mm, multicellular, eglandular, and 0.1–0.3 mm, stipitate-glandular.	usually cauline, basal not persistent, distinctly separated; petiole 0 mm, sometimes 1–2 mm at proximal nodes; blade bicolored, purplish abaxially, pinnately veined, ovate to elliptic-ovate, midcauline 10–35 × 6–18 mm, base rounded to subcordate, margins coarsely serrate-dentate to denticulate or subentire, apex short-attenuate to acute, obtuse, or rounded, surfaces densely glandular-villous, hairs 1–2 mm, gland-tipped.
Flowers	herkogamous, (1–)6–20, from all or medial to distal nodes.	herkogamous, (4–)8–30+, from medial to distal nodes, sometimes from all nodes.
Styles	glabrous.	glabrous.
Corollas	yellow, without white patches, throat red-spotted, spots concentrated or becoming coalescent into a somewhat discrete splotch at base of each of 3 abaxial lobes and sometimes 2 adaxial, bilaterally symmetric, ± bilabiate; tube-throat cylindric, 9–12 mm, exserted beyond calyx margin; limb expanded 10–18 mm diam.	yellow, throat, tube, and proximal portion of abaxial 3 lobes with fine, red to brownish lines, weakly bilaterally or nearly radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate or nearly regular; tube-throat narrowly funnelform, 12–15 mm, exserted beyond calyx margin; limb 9–12 mm wide (pressed), lobes oblong-obovate, apex rounded to notched.
Fruiting pedicels	12–26(–55) mm, moderately villous, hairs 0.8–2 mm, multicellular, eglandular and also 0.1–0.3 mm, stipitate-glandular.	4–20(–25) mm, densely glandular-villous, hairs 1–2 mm, gland-tipped.
Fruiting calyces	red-spotted, campanulate-cylindric, weakly inflated, (5–)6–8 mm, margins distinctly toothed or lobed, sparsely to moderately villous-glandular, ribs shallowly wing-angled, lobes pronounced, erect to spreading or spreading-recurving.	ridge- to wing-angled, campanulate to cylindric-campanulate, weakly inflated, 7–10 mm, densely glandular-villous, lobes erect to slightly spreading, unequal, triangular to linear-lanceolate, 2–4 mm, apex acuminate-apiculate.
Capsules	included, 4–6(–7) mm.	included, 4–5 mm.
Anthers	included, glabrous.	included, glabrous or finely hirtellous to scabrous.
2n	= 32.

	Erythranthe geniculata	Erythranthe willisii
Phenology	Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jul.	Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat	Granite crevices, canyon slopes, talus, crevices in volcanic outcrops, edges of boulders, roadsides, damp sandy soils, sandy water edges, gravelly soils and creek bottoms.	Seepage, drainage margins, moist soils, talus, cracks and crevices, soils deprived from serpentine.
Elevation	200–900(–1200) m. (700–3000(–3900) ft.)	(500–)700–900 m. ((1600–)2300–3000 ft.)
Distribution	CA [WildflowerSearch map]	CA
Discussion	Erythranthe geniculata is known from an apparently disjunct cluster of populations in Butte, Sutter, and Yuba counties and then from Tuolumne and Stanislaus counties south to Kern County. Erythranthe geniculata, compared to E. floribunda, has larger, chasmogamous, and allogamous flowers. The anther pairs of E. geniculata are at different levels, and the stigma is slightly above the adaxial anther pair; in E. floribunda both anther pairs and the stigma are at the same level. Erythranthe arenaria, E. geniculata, and E. norrisii constitute a group of apparently closely related species within sect. Mimulosma endemic along the Sierra Nevada. All have ovate-petiolate leaves (only the basal ones are sometimes ovate in E. arenaria) with pinnate to subpinnate venation. The more widespread E. floribunda, which is part of the above group, also is similar, but all three endemics have larger corollas with the tube exserted at greater length beyond the calyx margin. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Erythranthe willisii is narrowly endemic over serpentine along the North Fork Feather River (including the North Branch) in Plumas County. In the original description, its range was said to include serpentine localities in closely adjacent areas of east-central Butte, Plumas, and northwestern Yuba counties, but subsequent field work has shown that these peripheral populations are E. moschata, and that E. willisii occurs only in the bottom of the Serpentine Canyon area. The most consistent and recognizable features of E. willisii are the long, sprawling stems often spread over a large area, sometimes reaching at least 45 cm and often with many crowded nodes, sessile or subsessile leaves with rounded to subcordate bases, and short pedicels, characteristically no longer than the subtending leaves (except sometimes the distal ones where subtending leaves are distinctly reduced in size). It is possible that stem growth in E. willisii is indeterminate versus determinate in E. moschata. Sessile to subsessile leaves occur in E. moschata, especially in the California Sierra Nevada, but petiole length and leaf base shape are variable within populations; lack of petioles and a rounded/subcordate base are fixed characters in E. willisii (as they are also in E. ptilota). Although large colonies of E. moschata are sometimes encountered, the individual plants tend to be erect (in California) and with few distal flowers. In the field, the dense vestiture of E. willisii is a prominent feature, but this is harder to distinguish in pressed specimens, and there is a strong tendency for purple abaxial leaf coloration in E. willisii. Phenology and flower morphology of E. willisii and E. moschata appear to be similar, but E. moschata in north-central California does not occur at as low elevations as E. willisii. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source	FNA vol. 17, p. 404.	FNA vol. 17, p. 401.
Parent taxa	Phrymaceae > Erythranthe	Phrymaceae > Erythranthe
Sibling taxa	E. acutidens, E. alsinoides, E. ampliata, E. androsacea, E. arenaria, E. arenicola, E. arvensis, E. barbata, E. bicolor, E. brachystylis, E. breviflora, E. breweri, E. caespitosa, E. calcicola, E. calciphila, E. cardinalis, E. carsonensis, E. charlestonensis, E. chinatiensis, E. cinnabarina, E. corallina, E. cordata, E. decora, E. dentata, E. diffusa, E. discolor, E. eastwoodiae, E. erubescens, E. exigua, E. filicaulis, E. filicifolia, E. floribunda, E. gemmipara, E. geyeri, E. glaucescens, E. gracilipes, E. grandis, E. grayi, E. guttata, E. hallii, E. hardhamiae, E. hymenophylla, E. inamoena, E. inconspicua, E. inflatula, E. jungermannioides, E. laciniata, E. latidens, E. lewisii, E. linearifolia, E. marmorata, E. michiganensis, E. microphylla, E. minor, E. montioides, E. moschata, E. nasuta, E. norrisii, E. nudata, E. palmeri, E. pardalis, E. parishii, E. parvula, E. patula, E. percaulis, E. primuloides, E. ptilota, E. pulsiferae, E. purpurea, E. regni, E. rhodopetra, E. rubella, E. scouleri, E. shevockii, E. sierrae, E. suksdorfii, E. taylorii, E. thermalis, E. tilingii, E. trinitiensis, E. unimaculata, E. utahensis, E. verbenacea, E. washingtonensis, E. willisii	E. acutidens, E. alsinoides, E. ampliata, E. androsacea, E. arenaria, E. arenicola, E. arvensis, E. barbata, E. bicolor, E. brachystylis, E. breviflora, E. breweri, E. caespitosa, E. calcicola, E. calciphila, E. cardinalis, E. carsonensis, E. charlestonensis, E. chinatiensis, E. cinnabarina, E. corallina, E. cordata, E. decora, E. dentata, E. diffusa, E. discolor, E. eastwoodiae, E. erubescens, E. exigua, E. filicaulis, E. filicifolia, E. floribunda, E. gemmipara, E. geniculata, E. geyeri, E. glaucescens, E. gracilipes, E. grandis, E. grayi, E. guttata, E. hallii, E. hardhamiae, E. hymenophylla, E. inamoena, E. inconspicua, E. inflatula, E. jungermannioides, E. laciniata, E. latidens, E. lewisii, E. linearifolia, E. marmorata, E. michiganensis, E. microphylla, E. minor, E. montioides, E. moschata, E. nasuta, E. norrisii, E. nudata, E. palmeri, E. pardalis, E. parishii, E. parvula, E. patula, E. percaulis, E. primuloides, E. ptilota, E. pulsiferae, E. purpurea, E. regni, E. rhodopetra, E. rubella, E. scouleri, E. shevockii, E. sierrae, E. suksdorfii, E. taylorii, E. thermalis, E. tilingii, E. trinitiensis, E. unimaculata, E. utahensis, E. verbenacea, E. washingtonensis
Synonyms	Mimulus geniculatus, M. dudleyi, M. floribundus var. geniculatus
Name authority	(Greene) G. L. Nesom: Phytoneuron 2012-39: 38. (2012)	G. L. Nesom: Phytoneuron 2017-17: 7, figs. 14–22. (2017)
Web links	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Erythranthe willisii

bent-stem monkeyflower, Dudley's monkeyflower

Willis' monkeyflower

Habit

Annuals, fibrous-rooted or filiform-taprooted.

Perennials, rhizomatous, rarely rooting at proximal nodes, usually forming large colonies, rhizomes white, usually highly branching.

Stems

ascending to decumbent or prostrate, geniculate at nodes, simple or diffusely branched, 5–60 cm, moderately villous, hairs 0.8–2 mm, multicellular, eglandular and also 0.1–0.3 mm, stipitate-glandular.

usually sprawling-decumbent, branched, sometimes simple, 7–45 cm, nodes (2–)4–15+, densely glandular-villous, hairs 1–2 mm, glandular, internodes evident.

Leaves

basal and cauline, basal usually deciduous by flowering;

petiole 2–10(–35) mm;

blade pinnately to subpinnately veined, broadly ovate or elliptic-ovate to triangular, 8–35 × 5–30 mm, base cuneate to rounded or subcordate, margins serrate or dentate, teeth 3–10 per side, apex acute to obtuse or rounded, surfaces moderately villous, hairs 0.8–2 mm, multicellular, eglandular, and 0.1–0.3 mm, stipitate-glandular.

usually cauline, basal not persistent, distinctly separated;

petiole 0 mm, sometimes 1–2 mm at proximal nodes;

blade bicolored, purplish abaxially, pinnately veined, ovate to elliptic-ovate, midcauline 10–35 × 6–18 mm, base rounded to subcordate, margins coarsely serrate-dentate to denticulate or subentire, apex short-attenuate to acute, obtuse, or rounded, surfaces densely glandular-villous, hairs 1–2 mm, gland-tipped.

Flowers

herkogamous, (1–)6–20, from all or medial to distal nodes.

herkogamous, (4–)8–30+, from medial to distal nodes, sometimes from all nodes.

Styles

glabrous.

Corollas

yellow, without white patches, throat red-spotted, spots concentrated or becoming coalescent into a somewhat discrete splotch at base of each of 3 abaxial lobes and sometimes 2 adaxial, bilaterally symmetric, ± bilabiate;

tube-throat cylindric, 9–12 mm, exserted beyond calyx margin;

limb expanded 10–18 mm diam.

yellow, throat, tube, and proximal portion of abaxial 3 lobes with fine, red to brownish lines, weakly bilaterally or nearly radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate or nearly regular;

tube-throat narrowly funnelform, 12–15 mm, exserted beyond calyx margin;

limb 9–12 mm wide (pressed), lobes oblong-obovate, apex rounded to notched.

Fruiting pedicels

12–26(–55) mm, moderately villous, hairs 0.8–2 mm, multicellular, eglandular and also 0.1–0.3 mm, stipitate-glandular.

4–20(–25) mm, densely glandular-villous, hairs 1–2 mm, gland-tipped.

Fruiting calyces

red-spotted, campanulate-cylindric, weakly inflated, (5–)6–8 mm, margins distinctly toothed or lobed, sparsely to moderately villous-glandular, ribs shallowly wing-angled, lobes pronounced, erect to spreading or spreading-recurving.

ridge- to wing-angled, campanulate to cylindric-campanulate, weakly inflated, 7–10 mm, densely glandular-villous, lobes erect to slightly spreading, unequal, triangular to linear-lanceolate, 2–4 mm, apex acuminate-apiculate.

Capsules

included, 4–6(–7) mm.

included, 4–5 mm.

Anthers

included, glabrous.

included, glabrous or finely hirtellous to scabrous.

= 32.

Erythranthe geniculata

Erythranthe willisii

Phenology

Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jul.

Flowering May–Sep.

Habitat

Granite crevices, canyon slopes, talus, crevices in volcanic outcrops, edges of boulders, roadsides, damp sandy soils, sandy water edges, gravelly soils and creek bottoms.

Seepage, drainage margins, moist soils, talus, cracks and crevices, soils deprived from serpentine.

Elevation

200–900(–1200) m. (700–3000(–3900) ft.)

(500–)700–900 m. ((1600–)2300–3000 ft.)

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

Discussion

Erythranthe geniculata is known from an apparently disjunct cluster of populations in Butte, Sutter, and Yuba counties and then from Tuolumne and Stanislaus counties south to Kern County.

Erythranthe geniculata, compared to E. floribunda, has larger, chasmogamous, and allogamous flowers. The anther pairs of E. geniculata are at different levels, and the stigma is slightly above the adaxial anther pair; in E. floribunda both anther pairs and the stigma are at the same level.

Erythranthe arenaria, E. geniculata, and E. norrisii constitute a group of apparently closely related species within sect. Mimulosma endemic along the Sierra Nevada. All have ovate-petiolate leaves (only the basal ones are sometimes ovate in E. arenaria) with pinnate to subpinnate venation. The more widespread E. floribunda, which is part of the above group, also is similar, but all three endemics have larger corollas with the tube exserted at greater length beyond the calyx margin.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Erythranthe willisii is narrowly endemic over serpentine along the North Fork Feather River (including the North Branch) in Plumas County. In the original description, its range was said to include serpentine localities in closely adjacent areas of east-central Butte, Plumas, and northwestern Yuba counties, but subsequent field work has shown that these peripheral populations are E. moschata, and that E. willisii occurs only in the bottom of the Serpentine Canyon area. The most consistent and recognizable features of E. willisii are the long, sprawling stems often spread over a large area, sometimes reaching at least 45 cm and often with many crowded nodes, sessile or subsessile leaves with rounded to subcordate bases, and short pedicels, characteristically no longer than the subtending leaves (except sometimes the distal ones where subtending leaves are distinctly reduced in size). It is possible that stem growth in E. willisii is indeterminate versus determinate in E. moschata. Sessile to subsessile leaves occur in E. moschata, especially in the California Sierra Nevada, but petiole length and leaf base shape are variable within populations; lack of petioles and a rounded/subcordate base are fixed characters in E. willisii (as they are also in E. ptilota). Although large colonies of E. moschata are sometimes encountered, the individual plants tend to be erect (in California) and with few distal flowers. In the field, the dense vestiture of E. willisii is a prominent feature, but this is harder to distinguish in pressed specimens, and there is a strong tendency for purple abaxial leaf coloration in E. willisii. Phenology and flower morphology of E. willisii and E. moschata appear to be similar, but E. moschata in north-central California does not occur at as low elevations as E. willisii.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source

FNA vol. 17, p. 404.

FNA vol. 17, p. 401.

Parent taxa

Phrymaceae > Erythranthe

Sibling taxa

E. acutidens, E. alsinoides, E. ampliata, E. androsacea, E. arenaria, E. arenicola, E. arvensis, E. barbata, E. bicolor, E. brachystylis, E. breviflora, E. breweri, E. caespitosa, E. calcicola, E. calciphila, E. cardinalis, E. carsonensis, E. charlestonensis, E. chinatiensis, E. cinnabarina, E. corallina, E. cordata, E. decora, E. dentata, E. diffusa, E. discolor, E. eastwoodiae, E. erubescens, E. exigua, E. filicaulis, E. filicifolia, E. floribunda, E. gemmipara, E. geyeri, E. glaucescens, E. gracilipes, E. grandis, E. grayi, E. guttata, E. hallii, E. hardhamiae, E. hymenophylla, E. inamoena, E. inconspicua, E. inflatula, E. jungermannioides, E. laciniata, E. latidens, E. lewisii, E. linearifolia, E. marmorata, E. michiganensis, E. microphylla, E. minor, E. montioides, E. moschata, E. nasuta, E. norrisii, E. nudata, E. palmeri, E. pardalis, E. parishii, E. parvula, E. patula, E. percaulis, E. primuloides, E. ptilota, E. pulsiferae, E. purpurea, E. regni, E. rhodopetra, E. rubella, E. scouleri, E. shevockii, E. sierrae, E. suksdorfii, E. taylorii, E. thermalis, E. tilingii, E. trinitiensis, E. unimaculata, E. utahensis, E. verbenacea, E. washingtonensis, E. willisii

E. acutidens, E. alsinoides, E. ampliata, E. androsacea, E. arenaria, E. arenicola, E. arvensis, E. barbata, E. bicolor, E. brachystylis, E. breviflora, E. breweri, E. caespitosa, E. calcicola, E. calciphila, E. cardinalis, E. carsonensis, E. charlestonensis, E. chinatiensis, E. cinnabarina, E. corallina, E. cordata, E. decora, E. dentata, E. diffusa, E. discolor, E. eastwoodiae, E. erubescens, E. exigua, E. filicaulis, E. filicifolia, E. floribunda, E. gemmipara, E. geniculata, E. geyeri, E. glaucescens, E. gracilipes, E. grandis, E. grayi, E. guttata, E. hallii, E. hardhamiae, E. hymenophylla, E. inamoena, E. inconspicua, E. inflatula, E. jungermannioides, E. laciniata, E. latidens, E. lewisii, E. linearifolia, E. marmorata, E. michiganensis, E. microphylla, E. minor, E. montioides, E. moschata, E. nasuta, E. norrisii, E. nudata, E. palmeri, E. pardalis, E. parishii, E. parvula, E. patula, E. percaulis, E. primuloides, E. ptilota, E. pulsiferae, E. purpurea, E. regni, E. rhodopetra, E. rubella, E. scouleri, E. shevockii, E. sierrae, E. suksdorfii, E. taylorii, E. thermalis, E. tilingii, E. trinitiensis, E. unimaculata, E. utahensis, E. verbenacea, E. washingtonensis

Synonyms

Mimulus geniculatus, M. dudleyi, M. floribundus var. geniculatus

Name authority

(Greene) G. L. Nesom: Phytoneuron 2012-39: 38. (2012)

G. L. Nesom: Phytoneuron 2017-17: 7, figs. 14–22. (2017)

Web links

Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).

Choose a data source: Flora of North America

The species comparison tool is brought to you by:

Flora of North America species comparison

Erythranthe geniculata

Erythranthe willisii

Erythranthe geniculata

Erythranthe willisii