About Erythranthe purpurea (A.L.Grant) N.S.Fraga
Erythranthe purpurea is a small annual herb that only reaches a height of a few centimeters. Its oval, oppositely arranged leaves are each less than 2 centimeters long. Individual flowers grow on very thin, upright pedicels that can reach several centimeters in length. The tubular base of each flower is enclosed in a reddish, ribbed calyx made of sepals, with small pointed lobes. The flower is approximately one centimeter long, with a wide opening split into an upper lip and a lower lip. The flower is pink, and the upper lip is typically a darker pink than the lower lip. Yellow stripes or streaks are present in the flower's mouth. This species is native to California, where it has been recorded from only around 20 locations in the San Bernardino Mountains. It also occurs in Baja California. It grows in moist mountain meadow habitats, including the quartz pebble plain habitat near Big Bear Lake.
