California figwort is the more common of the two subspecies of this figwort, which is also frequently called bee plant. The other subspecies is coast figwort, Scrophularia californica ssp. californica. The flower is essentially the same, but what differentiates this taxon is the leaves, which are deeply dissected with serrate sections, rather than the crenate- to dentate-margined ssp. californica. This plant may be found in dryish to moist conditions to 6000' in chaparral and coastal sage scrub throughout cismontane Southern California, in the Transverse Ranges of the San Gabriels and San Bernardino Mts, and even extending to the Mojave Desert slopes on the north side of the San Bernardinos, blooming from March to May. These pictures were taken in the Laguna Hills.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Scrophularia 2) californica 3) floribunda.
Pronunciation: skrof-yoo-LARE-ee-a ka-li-FOR-ni-ka flor-i-BUN-da .
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.