Species

Erythranthe moschata

Etymology

moschata: musky

Common Name(s)

musk

Authority

Erythranthe moschata (Lindl.) G.L.Nesom

Family

Phrymaceae

Brief Description

Sticky-hairy clumps that grow up to 10 to 40 cm tall. The leaves are pale green and small (10 to 40 mm long) with a short petiole. The yellow flowers are up to 20mm long.

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

NVS Species Code

ERYMOS

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

Mimulus moschatus Lindl.

Distribution

Lower North Island and throughout the South Island, absent from Auckland and Northland.

Habitat

Lowland to montane regions, alongside streams and rivers, in seepages and swamps.

Features

Glandular-hairy perennial herb forming sprawling mats. Leaves opposite, lanceolate to ovate up to 5 x 2.5 cm in length and width. Leaves toothed or entire with a short petiole. Flowers yellow, up to 2 cm long, with a long corolla tube, throat open with five rounded lobes. Seed capsule 5 mm long, ovoid

Similar Taxa

Similar in appearance to E. guttata which is larger in all parts. It is not sticky-hairy perennial and has red blotches on its flowers.

Flowering

November to March

Flower Colours

Yellow

Fruiting

Autumn

Year Naturalised

1879

Origin

W. North America

Reason for Introduction

Ornamental pond and garden plant.

Control Techniques

Rarely problematic. Can be controlled manually, mechanically or herbicidally depending on situation.

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Mainly seed dispersal by water movement and dumped soil.

Attribution

Factsheet prepared by Paul Champion and Deborah Hofstra (NIWA).

References and further reading

Johnson PN, Brooke PA (1989).  Wetland plants in New Zealand.   DSIR Field Guide, DSIR Publishing, Wellington. 319pp.

Popay et al (2010).  An illustrated guide to common weeds of New Zealand, third edition.  NZ Plant Protection Society Inc, 416pp.

This page last updated on 21 Aug 2013