Sandloving Monkeyflower

Description

Erythranthe is a highly diverse genus with the characteristics unifying the various species being axile placentation and long pedicels.Other characteristics of species can vary widely, especially between the sections, and even within some sections. Some species of Erythranthe are annuals, such as Erythranthe guttata, and some are perennials, such as Erythranthe nasuta.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 musky odor (hence "musk-flowers"). Erythranthe is used as food by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, such as the mouse moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis), as a main part of their diet.