About Erythranthe filicaulis (S.Watson) G.L.Nesom & N.S.Fraga
Erythranthe filicaulis forms low-lying carpets of pink blooms across an area. This hairy annual herb grows a thin, erect stem that reaches up to approximately 30 centimeters in height. Its opposite leaves are linear to oval in shape, and grow up to around 2 centimeters long. The tubular base of each flower is enclosed in a ribbed calyx of sepals, marked with red spots and tipped with pointed lobes. The flower corolla is not distinctly split into upper and lower lips, but has five rounded, notched lobes. The corolla is pink, with a deeper pink to purple throat, and a distinct yellow spot on the raised folds of the lower lobes. This species blooms from April to August, with timing varying by elevation. Erythranthe filicaulis is endemic to California, and is only found in the High Sierra Nevada in Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. It grows in moist habitats, including mountain meadows and areas with disturbed soil.
