Mimulus

Scientific name

Mimulus L.

Common names

monkey flower

Family

Phrymaceae

Similar genera

Alternanthera, Bidens, Eclipta, Epilobium, Hypericum, Limnophila, Macbridea, Mentha, Penthorum, Veronica

Native distribution

North America

Species cultivated

Mimulus cardinalis Douglas ex. Benth.

M. ringens L.

Adventive distribution

information not available

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

amphibious amphibious:
(adj) of a plant able to live on land or in water
herb, emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
or seasonally submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
; some terrestrialterrestrial:
(adj) growing on land as opposed to living in water
species with diverse morphology

Brief description

Small, ascending to erect, rhizomatousrhizomatous:
(adj) possessing rhizomes
. Stems creeping to erect, ± branched, glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
or with sticky hairs. Leaves oppositeopposite:
(adj) (of leaves) two leaves per node; in pairs on opposite sides of an axis
, decussatedecussate:
(adj) arranged along stem in pairs, with each pair at right angles to the pairs above and below
; sessilesessile:
(adj) attached directly, without a stalk
or amplexicaulineamplexicauline:
(adj) (of leaf bases) clasping the stem
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
lanceolate to oblongoblong:
(adj) two to four times longer than wide, with +/- parallel sides
or obovateobovate:
(adj) ovate, with the narrow end at the base
, glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
to downy; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
; base attenuateattenuate:
(adj) narrowing gradually to a point
to round; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
typically serrateserrate:
(adj) (of a leaf margin) bearing sharp teeth pointing forward or to the apex
; venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
pinnatepinnate:
(adj) in the form of a feather; of, e.g., leaflets, lobes, or veins: arranged in two rows along an axis
. Flowers solitary in leaf axils; pedicellatepedicellate:
(adj) borne on a pedicel
; typically lavender to blue-violet, orange to red, less often yellow or white; calyxcalyx:
(n) the outer whorl of the perianth; all the sepals of a flower
tube 5-lobed, lobes acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
to acuminateacuminate:
(adj) tapering gradually to a point and forming more or less concave sides
, ± puberulentpuberulent:
(adj) minutely pubescent
to hairy; corollacorolla:
(n) the inner whorl(s) of the perianth; all the petals of a flower
tube 2-lipped, upper lip erect, 2-lobed, sometimes reflexedreflexed:
(adj) abruptly curved or bent downward
, lower lip 3-lobed, often with 2 pubescentpubescent:
(adj) (1) covered with short, soft hairs; (2) bearing hairs
ridges, laterallateral:
(adj) on or pertaining to the side of an organ or structure
lobes may be strongly reflexedreflexed:
(adj) abruptly curved or bent downward
; stamens 4, filaments adnate to corollacorolla:
(n) the inner whorl(s) of the perianth; all the petals of a flower
tube; stigmastigma:
(n) the portion of the pistil that is receptive to pollen
2-lobed, often sensitive.

Natural habitat

in moist to wet areas along streams, pond margins, springs, and seepages, in areas prone to occasional flooding or standing water

Additional comments

A genus of over 150 species, with many in wetland and riparianriparian:
(adj) growing by rivers or streams; of, adjacent to, or living on, the banks of a river, lake, pond, etc.
habitats.