Monardella hypoleuca
Encyclopedia
Monardella hypoleuca is a species of flowering plant in the mint family
known by the common name thickleaf monardella. It is native to the southern half of California
, where it grows in the coastal hills and mountain ranges in local habitat including chaparral
and woodland. Its range may extend into Baja California
.
is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of woolly-haired purplish bract
s 2 to 4 centimeters wide. The flowers are roughly 1.5 centimeters long and white or purple-tinged.
in Orange County
, and in San Diego County
in the United States, and probably neighboring Baja California.
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
known by the common name thickleaf monardella. It is native to the southern half of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in the coastal hills and mountain ranges in local habitat including chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
and woodland. Its range may extend into Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
.
Description
Monardella hypoleuca is a perennial herb producing an erect, purple stem coated in short hairs. The green, lance-shaped to oval leaves are oppositely arranged about the stem and have woolly white undersides. The inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of woolly-haired purplish bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s 2 to 4 centimeters wide. The flowers are roughly 1.5 centimeters long and white or purple-tinged.
Subspecies
There are two subspecies of this plant; the more rare, Monardella hypoleuca ssp. lanata, the feltleaf monardella, grows in the chaparral of the Santa Ana MountainsSanta Ana Mountains
The Santa Ana Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately 36 mi southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riverside counties.- Geography :The range starts in the...
in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, and in San Diego County
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
in the United States, and probably neighboring Baja California.