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Erythranthe cordata

Erythranthe cordata (Greene)�G.L.Nesom

Tinytooter Monkeyflower

Phrymaceae (Lopseed Family)

Synonym(s): Mimulus cordatus, Mimulus maguirei

USDA Symbol: ERCO38

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

"Annuals, fibrous-rooted, sometimes producing leafy runners from basal nodes, stems often rooting at proximal nodes and appearing rhizomelike. Stems usually erect, usually simple, usually fistulose, 12-40(-100) cm, sparsely stipitate-glandular, hairs fine, gland-tipped." (Webref: 38).

"Erythranthe cordata is characterized by its fibrous-rooted habit (annual in duration, without rhizomes but commonly rooting at the proximal nodes), short corollas and autogamous reproduction (anthers and stigma at the same level), closed calyces, sparsely villous-glandular vestiture (lacking hirtellous, eglandular hairs), and stems commonly fistulose in larger plants. The short corollas and other features of autogamous reproduction of E. cordata are diagnostic and prominent. Plants of E. cordata are highly variable in size, from tiny fibrous-rooted plants with nearly filiform stems to much larger individuals with fistulose stems rooting at proximal nodes.

Erythranthe cordata and E. nasuta are sympatric in Arizona, southeastern New Mexico, and southern Utah, and small plants of each species may be similar in aspect, both with cleistogamous flowers and reduced vestiture. Erythranthe nasuta can be recognized by its distal and bracteal leaves with hirtellous to hirsutulous adaxial surfaces; a 10/x lens usually is required to see this feature, and it sometimes is most obvious around the leaf margins.

The common name of Erythranthe cordata alludes to a fancied resemblance of the corollas to the horn of a diminutive trumpet." (Webref: 38).

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Shape: Elliptic , Oblong , Ovate
Leaf Venation: Palmate
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous
Leaf Margin: Dentate
Leaf Apex: Obtuse
Leaf Base: Cuneate , Truncate
Size Notes: Normally 5-15 inches. Occasionally to 40 inches in height.
Leaf: "Leaves basal and cauline, basal persistent; petiole: basal and proximals 6-20(-40) mm, midcauline to distals 0 mm; blade not connate, palmately 3-5(-7)-veined, orbicular to broadly elliptic-ovate or oblong-elliptic, cauline becoming broadly ovate to narrowly reniform, basal and mid cauline 15-30(-50) mm, gradually reduced in size distally to 6 mm, basal largest, distal closely paired, auriculate-subclasping, base cuneate to truncate or shallowly cordate, margins shallowly, evenly to unevenly dentate, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces glabrous." (Webref: 38).
Flower: "Flowers plesiogamous, (5-)10-16, at distal nodes, in bracteate racemes, chasmogamous or cleistogamous. Fruiting pedicels 10-30(-45) mm, longer than subtending leaves, minutely stipitate-glandular. Fruiting calyces nodding 45-90 degrees, not red-dotted, broadly elliptic-ovoid, inflated, sagittally compressed, (8-)14-18(-20) mm, glabrous or sparsely stipitate-glandular to hirsutulous, sometimes mixed glandular-hirsutulous, throat closing, adaxial lobe not distinctly longer than abaxial, not falcate. Corollas yellow, red-spotted, abaxial limb deeper yellow, weakly bilaterally or radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate or regular; tube-throat sometimes tubular and not opening (cleistogamous), 8-14 mm, exserted 1-3 mm beyond calyx margin; limb not expanded or expanded 9-14 mm. Styles glabrous. Anthers included, glabrous." (Webref: 38).
Fruit: "Capsules included, stipitate, 5-7 mm." (Webref: 38).

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Yellow
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov
Bloom Notes: "Phenology: Flowering (Jan-)Mar-Jun(-Nov)." (Webref: 38).

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , NM , NV , TX , UT
Native Distribution: West Texas north to Colorado and west to California. Also northern Mexico.
Native Habitat: "Habitat: Springs, seeps, stream edges, muddy banks, flood plains, marshes and swamps, wash bottoms, wet depressions, wet places among boulders. Elevation: (600-)800-2400(-3000) m." (Webref: 38).

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium , High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil Description: Moist soils.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Erythranthe cordata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Erythranthe cordata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Erythranthe cordata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2026-05-19
Research By: Joseph A. Marcus

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