BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report
Erythranthe breviflora
short-flowered monkey-flower
| Scientific Name: | Erythranthe breviflora |
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| Scientific Name Synonyms: |
Mimulus breviflorus
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| English Name: | short-flowered monkey-flower |
| Provincial Status Summary | |
| Status: | S4 |
| Date Status Assigned: | April 30, 2019 |
| Date Last Reviewed: | April 30, 2019 |
| Reasons: | A total of 10 populations of short-flowered monkey-flower have been documented in BC, and most probably have good viability. All occurrences are in spring-wet sites in BC, with at least one in a Provincial Park. Total population size for Mimulus breviflorus in BC is estimated to be between 10000-100000 individuals. Total range extent is approximately 20000 - 200000 km2, and total area of occupancy is estimated to be XXX. Trends are unknown. The known threats are livestock, invasive exotic weeds, and off-road vehicles. The scope, severity and immediacy are moderate. |
| Range | |
| Range Extent: | 20,000-200,000 square km |
| Range Extent Comments: | Range extent of known occurrences is 77,960 sq km calculated using GIS tool, extending from the Kamloops area south to Princeton east to Grand Forks and east to Newgate. |
| Area of Occupancy (km2): | >20,000 square km |
| Area of Occupancy Comments: | Using GIS tools, AOO index value is 7 cells (each 4 sq km) or 28 sq km (2 points, and all polys historical) |
| Occurrences & Population | |
| Number of Occurrences: | 6 - 20 |
| Comments: | As of January, 2003, the number of verified extant occurrences of short-flowered monkey-flower in the province is 10. Three collections were made between 1950 and 1962, three between 1993 and 1996, and 5 between 2000 and 2008. Only one site, near Castlegar, has been visited twice, once in 1996 by H. Roemer and R. Walker and the second time by F. Lomer in 2000. Because of increased surveys for rare plants in areas of appropriate habitat, this species has been observed more frequently in recent years. This, combined with the extensive potential habitat occurring across a wide area of southern BC, suggests that additional populations probably occur. |
| Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: | 4-12 occurrences with good viability |
| Comments: | Most of the occurrences probably have good viability but this is unknown. Although only one population has been re-visited, many of the occurrences are in rather remote areas well away from human disturbance. |
| Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: | 1-3 occurrences appropriately protected and managed |
| Comments: | At least one is in a Provincial Park (Wrinkly Face Provincial Park) near Winfield in the north Okanagan. Parks are required to protect rare species on their property but whether protection measures are being undertaken is unknown. There is no known formal protection on any of the other sites, although many of the occurrences are in rather remote areas well away from human disturbance. |
| Population Size: | 10,000 - 100,000 individuals |
| Comments: | It is estimated that there are between 10000-100000 individuals of this species in BC, although the number may be much higher. This is based on data from herbarium sheets and discussions with C. Bjork (pers.comm. 2010). Herbarium notes include the following population statistics: common (Grand Forks 1962), a few small scattered plants (Commerce Peak area 1993), a few plants (2000 near Castlegar), about 100 plants over 2 m2 and an additional 500 plants along 25 m of road (Tulameen 2002), about 20 plants (Kitchener area), and about 100 plants in 2 x 4 m area (Kamloops 2008). |
| Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected) | |
| Degree of Threat: | Moderate and imminent threat |
| Comments: | Little infomation is available on the threats to this species in BC. Herbarium data provided by F. Lomer included annual weeds posing some threat, especially Trifolium aureum at the occurrence near Castlegar (in 2000) and no threats at a remote site near Mt. Kitchener (in 2007). C. Bjork (pers. comm. 2010) noted that livestock trampling was common and some off-road vehicle damage was observed at a site west of Princeton. The scope, severity and immediacy are moderate. The known threats are livestock, invasive exotic weeds, and off-road vehicles. Livestock compact soils, increase soil erosion, and reduce plant vigour in seasonally wet sites, increasing the extent of mineral soils (T.McIntosh pers. comm. 2010). Also, invasive alien plant species usually increase with the increase of bare soil and the decrease in competition from native plants. Short-flowered monkey-flower as well as other annual rare species known to exist in these habitats may be eradicated as their seed banks diminish. |
| Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences) | |
| Short-Term Trend: | Unknown |
| Comments: | Only one population has been re-visited and an assessment of short-term trends at that site was not completed. None of the other occurrences of this species have been re-visited since their first observations, and short-term trends cannot be assessed. |
| Long-Term Trend: | Unknown |
| Comments: | Only one population has been re-visited and an assessment of short-term trends at that site was not completed. None of the other occurrences of this species have been re-visited since their first observations, and long-term trends cannot be assessed. |
| Other Factors | |
| Intrinsic Vulnerability: | Moderately vulnerable |
| Comments: | Because this is an annual species, short-flowered monkey-flower matures, flowers, and produces seeds quickly, and produces a seed bank that can help survive times of drought or disturbance events (Buck et al. 2007). Thus, populations may recover quickly from reduced numbers when conditions become more favorable. The numbers of plants in the province are probably high, but many populations are small in extent. Also, they are restricted to isolated, small, specialized habitats, so recolonization may be very difficult if they are extirpated from a site. However, there does not appear to be a lack of suitable habitat within the range of short-flowered Monkey-flower. |
| Environmental Specificity: | Very narrow to narrow. |
| Comments: | Short-flowered monkey-flower is restricted to seasonally wet sites across BC. Vernal pool plants are highly specialized and restricted to these ephemerally wet habitats (Buck et al. 2007). |
| Other Rank Considerations: | Annual species are not as apparent in unfavorable years as in times when climatic conditions are most favorable. Therefore, estimations of populations may vary due to enviromental factors and not necessarily disturbance. |
| Information Gaps | |
| Research Needs: | Research needs include assessing the size, viability, and reproductive success of the known occurrences, and assessing threats at the known sites. A monitoring program should be designed and implemented. |
| Inventory Needs: | Many of the vernal seepage or ponded sites preferred by this species across southern BC need to be inventoried for short-flowered monkey-flower. New sites need to be sought through targeted surveys in high potential habitat in late spring and early summer. More detailed surveys in known sites is recommended so that threats and accurate estimations of population size and health can be determined. Habitats need to be more clearly described and defined. |
| Stewardship | |
| Protection: | Only one occurrence for this species in BC is within a provincial park, and parks are required to protect rare species on their property. However, the authorities at Wrinkly Face Provincial Park need to be contacted in order to find out what, if any, protection measures are being undertaken or evaluated. The other occurrences need to be protected. |
| Management: | Protection needs are required to be evaluated after three of the populations are revisited and described. Protection can be achieved through voluntary stewardship agreements, purchase from willing sellers, and land use designations on Crown lands. A primary objective should be to protect all known populations. Maintaining multiple populations will help to mitigate the effects of catastrophic loss at any one site. Reserves should be large enough to maintain natural communities and ecological processes that sustain the plant populations. If protection of all populations is not considered feasible, sites could be prioritized based on numbers of plants present, productivity of site, and significance of site for maintaining species distribution (Cliff Paintbrush Recovery Team 2009). |
| Version | |
| Author: | McIntosh, T.T. |
| Date: | March 15, 2010 |
| References | |
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Batten, R. 2018. Vascular plant GeoCAT range extent and index of AOO maps supporting status assessment 2017_18 for British Columbia Conservation Data Centre. March 2018. Victoria, BC. 450 pp.
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British Columbia Conservation Data Centre. Botany Program. 2000. Database containing records of rare plant collections and observations in the province of British Columbia.
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Buck, J., S. Starr, C. Witham, A. Solomeshch, R. MacDonald, M. Barbour, and R. Holland. 2007. Resistance and resilience of vernal pool vegetation. pp 3-11 in: Vernal Pool Landscapes. Schlising, R.A. and D.A. Alexander (eds.). Studies from the Herbarium 14. California State University.
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Cliff Paintbrush Recovery Team. 2009. Recovery strategy for cliff paintbrush (Castilleja rupicola) in British Columbia. Prepared for the B.C. Minist. of Environ., Victoria, BC. 18 pp.
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for information on how the CDC determines conservation status ranks. For global conservation status reports and ranks, please visit the NatureServe website http://www.natureserve.org/.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2010. Conservation Status Report: Erythranthe breviflora. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 6, 2026).