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Scarlet Monkeyflower Evolves to Survive Extreme Drought

3/17/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A study published on March 12 in Science shows that the scarlet monkeyflower found in Oregon and California has evolved to withstand extreme drought.
Researchers monitored populations since 2010 and found that those which evolved quickly recovered from near extinction.
The phenomenon, called evolutionary rescue, suggests some plant species can adapt to climate change more effectively than previously thought, though not all do.

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Story summary

A study published on March 12 in Science shows that the scarlet monkeyflower found in Oregon and California has evolved to withstand extreme drought.
Researchers monitored populations since 2010 and found that those which evolved quickly recovered from near extinction.
The phenomenon, called evolutionary rescue, suggests some plant species can adapt to climate change more effectively than previously thought, though not all do.