Erythranthe
| Erythranthe | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| E. peregrina in Scotland | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Phrymaceae |
| Genus: |
Erythranthe (L.) G. L. Nesom |
| Type species | |
|
Erythranthe cardinalis (Douglas ex Benth.) Spach ≡Mimulus cardinalis Douglas ex Bentham 1835 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Mimulus sect. Erythranthe (Spach) Greene, Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 108. 1885 |
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Mimulus sect. Erythranthe (Spach) Greene, Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 108. 1885
Erythranthe, the monkey-flowers and musk-flowers, is a diverse plant genus with at least 111 members (as of 2017) in the family Phrymaceae. Erythranthe was originally described as a separate genus, then generally regarded as a section within the genus Mimulus, and recently returned to generic rank. Mimulus sect. Diplacus 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.
Member species are usually annuals or herbaceous perennials. 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 hummingbirds. 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.
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.
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Wikipedia