Plant · GBIF taxon 7346096
Lewis' monkeyflower
Erythranthe lewisiiAlso known as Purple Monkeyflower, Lewis's Monkeyflower, Great Purple Monkeyflower
Lewis' monkeyflower carpets wet mountain stream banks and subalpine meadows across western North America with rich magenta blooms. Co-evolved with bumblebees, its flowers feature broad lower petals marked with yellow, hairy nectar guides that lead pollinators straight into the throat. Evolutionary biologists study this perennial as a landmark model organism for understanding pollinator-driven speciation.
AlpineWildflowerPerennial
1 / 7—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
- Subalpine caterpillars
- Deer
- Elk
ThreatsClimate change, trampling, loss of alpine wetland habitats
HabitatsSubalpine wet meadows, stream banks, seepages, montane springs
Life span5–10 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyPhrymaceae
- SpeciesErythranthe lewisii
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Habitat Spotting: Look along cold mountain streams and wet subalpine meadows from mid to late summer.
- Ethical Viewing: Stay on established alpine trails to avoid damaging delicate wetland soils.
- Pollinator Observing: Watch quiet blossoms on sunny days to see bumblebees landing on the lower petals.
Pollinator (c) Brett/Tele, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Brett/Tele · cc-by
Close Relative 
Close Relative (c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Berger · cc-by
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