Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Erythranthe pardalis

Erythranthe pardalis (Pennell) G. L. Nesom

Pennell's Panther

Phrymaceae (Lopseed Family)

Synonym(s): Mimulus pardalis

USDA Symbol: ERPA84

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

"Annuals, fibrous-rooted or taprooted. Stems decumbent-ascending, erect distally, simple, sometimes branched from proximal to medial nodes, 5-30 cm, short, delicately stipitate-glandular, distals minutely puberulent-glandular, hairs 0.1-0.4 mm (to 1 mm on proximal portions of stems), gland-tipped." (Webref: 38).

"The relative constancy of Erythranthe pardalis in morphology suggests that genetic influence from other species is slight. It is recognized by its annual duration and relatively delicate habit, ovate to depressed-ovate leaves toothed mostly on the distal margins, small flowers produced from all nodes (proximal to distal), dark-spotted calyces, and stipitate-glandular cauline and foliar vestiture. While the corolla limbs are distinctly expanded, the tubes are only slightly exserted from the calyx, and flowers apparently are plesiogamous. The epithet pardalis alludes to the dark-spotted calyx.

Plants of Erythranthe pardalis occur primarily on serpentine rocks and soils but also grow on copper tailings at mine sites. The species is known from Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Placer, Tehama, and Tuolumne counties. The plants in Tehama County, geographically and ecologically disjunct from the main range, were recorded as growing in basalt crevices." (Webref: 38).

From the Image Gallery

No images of this plant

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Root Type: Fibrous , Tap
Leaf Shape: Ovate
Leaf Venation: Palmate
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous , Glandular , Puberulent , Villose
Leaf Margin: Dentate
Leaf Apex: Obtuse
Leaf Base: Attenuate , Cuneate
Size Notes: Stems to about 1 foot in length.
Leaf: "Leaves usually cauline, basal usually not persistent; petiole: proximals and medials 8-20 mm, distalmost 1-2 mm; blade palmately 3-veined, usually ovate or broadly ovate to depressed-ovate, proximals and medials 7-22 x 6-18 mm, sometimes largest at mid stem, base rounded or cuneate to gradually attenuate, margins shallowly dentate-serrate, teeth 2 or 3(-5) per side mostly distally, apex obtuse to obtuse-acuminate, surfaces sparsely villous to puberulent-glandular, hairs vitreous, gland-tipped, sometimes glabrous." (Webref: 38).
Flower: "Flowers plesiogamous, 2-12, usually evenly distributed from proximal to distal nodes, chasmogamous, anther pairs in larger corollas slightly separated, stigma at level of distal pair, or both anther pairs and stigma at same level; in smaller corollas without expanded limb and barely exserted beyond calyx margin, both anther pairs and stigma at same level. Fruiting pedicels 10-35 mm, short, delicately stipitate-glandular, distals minutely puberulent-glandular, hairs 0.1-0.4 mm, gland-tipped. Fruiting calyces nodding 45-180 degrees, consistently dark purple-spotted, cylindric-campanulate, inflated, sagittally compressed, 8-11 mm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent-glandular, sometimes minutely hirtellous, throat closing. Corollas yellow, throat floor sometimes red-spotted, bilaterally symmetric, bilabiate; tube-throat narrowly funnelform to cylindric, 7-10(-12) mm, exserted 1-3 mm beyond calyx margin; limb expanded 8-12 mm, palate villous. Styles glabrous. Anthers included, glabrous." (Webref: 38).
Fruit: "Capsules included, stipitate, 4-6 mm." (Webref: 38).

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Bloom Notes: "Phenology: Flowering (Mar-)Apr-May."� (Webref: 38).

Distribution

USA: CA
Native Distribution: A California endemic.
Native Habitat: "Habitat: Crevices of serpentine rock, stony red soils, red clay, among boulders, along streams, ditches, tailings at copper mines. Elevation: 100-700 m." (Webref: 38).

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 0000-00-00
Research By: Joseph A. Marcus

Go back