This article originally appeared in the CNPS 2023-24 Annual Report.
When Selena Vengco first encountered Erythranthe discolor, or party-colored monkeyflower, in California’s Piute Mountains, she was filled with curiosity. The tiny, brightly colored flowers that were blossoming in either yellow or pink, seemingly at random. Though there were just a few flowers blooming, it was enough to spark her interest: “What are the living and non-living factors that maintain these two different colors? I knew I had to take a tiny bite out of this question!”
Selena’s curiosity led her to E. discolor, and she spent the last two years discovering just how diverse these plants really are. As a master’s student at California Botanic Garden with Claremont Graduate University, Selena sequenced DNA from plant tissues that she and others collected in the Greenhorn and Piute mountains. Selena’s research will help land managers take action to protect and conserve this rare plant, which is only known to occur in Bakersfield and Tulare counties.
A member of the CNPS Santa Clara Valley Chapter, Selena’s promising research also made her the recipient of the 2023 CNPS Student Research Grant Award, a scholarship for undergraduate and graduate students across California. With the research grants, CNPS is working to increase ways for people of all backgrounds to deepen their relationships with California native plants. Thanks to support from CNPS members and donors, her hard work in this field is already having a big impact. In collaboration with Dr. Naomi Fraga, Selena successfully advocated for the inclusion of Erythranthe discolor on California’s List of Threatened or Endangered Plant Species, ensuring its status as a conservation priority now and in the future. “When Erythranthe discolor was listed last year, I felt like I had really done something to protect this plant.”
When Erythranthe discolor was listed last year, I felt like I had really done something to protect this plant.
While conservation genetics is the focus of her research, Selena’s passion for diversifying the field is a driving force. As a recent graduate, she’s committed to advancing conservation through research and ensuring that underserved communities have a chance to build relationships with California native plants firsthand. Selena’s work brings California one step closer to ensuring that everyone can shape our shared conservation future.
