Monardella undulata
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{speciesbox
| image = Monardellaundulata.jpg
| genus = Monardella
| species = undulata
| authority = Benth.
}}
Monardella undulata is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name curlyleaf monardella. It is an annual herb and is endemic to the coast of California.
Description
Monardella undulata grows as a small shrub up to {{Cvt|2.5|m|ft|0}} across. Its branched stems are {{Cvt|10|–|100|cm|ftin|0}} long, and vary from sparsely hairy to being covered with dense, matted, woolly hairs giving a white appearance (tomentose). Its leaves may be fleshy and are located in clusters along the stem. The flowers are strongly scented, arranged in terminal spikes, {{Cvt|10|–|30|mm|in|1}} wide, and vary from straw-colored through lavender to rose-purple.{{Cite web |title=Monardella undulata |website=Jepson eFlora |publisher=The Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley |url=https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=33951 |access-date=2024-02-25}}
=Subspecies=
Subspecies include:
- Monardella undulata subsp. arguelloensis — endemic to Point Arguello in Santa Barbara County.{{Cite web |title=Monardella undulata ssp. arguelloensis Calflora |url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=11872 |access-date= |website=www.calflora.org}}
- Monardella undulata subsp. crispa — endemic to coastal sage scrub habitats of northern Santa Barbara County and southern San Luis Obispo County.{{Cite web |title=Monardella undulata ssp. crispa Calflora |url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=11873 |access-date= |website=www.calflora.org}}
- Monardella undulata subsp. undulata — endemic to coastal sage scrub habitats of northern Santa Barbara and southern San Luis Obispo Counties.{{Cite web |title=Monardella undulata ssp. undulata Calflora |url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=11874 |access-date= |website=www.calflora.org}}
Distribution and habitat
It is endemic to the coast of California from Sonoma to Santa Barbara Counties, where it is known from several coastal habitat types, including dunes, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and forest.{{Cite web |title=Monardella undulata Calflora |url=https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=5659 |access-date= |website=www.calflora.org}}
Conservation
The plant is threatened by forces that degrade its coastline habitat, such as sand mining and competing introduced plant species.
This species is an important food plant for the endangered Myrtle's silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene myrtleae), which eats its nectar.NPS. (2007). [https://www.nps.gov/pore/learn/management/upload/rps_myrtlessilverspot_070816.pdf Habitat Assessment of Myrtle's Silverspot Butterfly at Point Reyes National Seashore]
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=33951 Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Monardella undulata]
- [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MOUN USDA Plants Profile for Monardella undulata]
- [http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Monardella+undulata UC Photos gallery: Monardella undulata]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q6898209}}
Category:Endemic flora of California
Category:Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
Category:Natural history of the California Coast Ranges
Category:Natural history of San Luis Obispo County, California
Category:Natural history of Santa Barbara County, California