Allegheny monkeyflower

not listed

N5? - Secure

SNR - Unranked

not listed

OBL - Obligate wetland

OBL - Obligate wetland

OBL - Obligate wetland

Allegheny monkeyflower is an erect, perennial forb that rises on one or more stems from a stout underground stem (rhizome) and fibrous roots. It may be 12″ to 52″ tall but in Minnesota is usually no more than 40″ in height.

The stems are erect, sharply four-angled, light green, hairless, usually branched, and sometimes very narrowly winged.

The leaves are opposite, lance-shaped to narrowly oblong, and pinnately veined. They are stalkless and often partially surround (clasp) the stem. The larger leaves are 2″ to 4¾″ long, and ⅜″to 1⅜″wide, 3 to 7 times as long as wide, becoming progressively smaller as they ascend the stem. They are rounded or tapered at the base and taper to a sharp point at the tip with straight or concave sides along the tip. The upper and lower surfaces are light to medium green and hairless. The margins are toothed with blunt, forward pointing teeth.

The inflorescence is a solitary flower rising on a long stalk from each upper leaf axil. The flower stalks are ⅝″ to 1½″ long and have no additional leaves or bracts. As the fruit develops the stalk elongates, eventually becoming ¾″ to 2⅜″ long.

The flowers are ¾″ to 1½″ long. There are 5 sepals, 5 petals, 4 stamens, and 1 style. The sepals are united at the base into a narrowly funnel-shaped, ⅜″ to ⅝″ long calyx tube, then separated at the tip into 5 triangular or broadly triangular, ⅛″ to 5 ⁄16″ long lobes. The lobes are much shorter than the tube and are not hooked at the tip. The midrib of each sepal often extends beyond the lobe as a short, stiff awn. When the fruit develops the calyx enlarges slightly but does not become inflated. The petals are light lavender-blue to purplish-blue. They are fused at the base into a corolla tube then separated into a 2-lobed upper lip and a 3-lobed lower lip. The upper lip is much smaller and narrower than the lower. It is erect and strongly bent upward. The lower lip is bent downward and has a pale yellow area toward the base with red or brownish-red spots. The base of the lower lip is swollen more or less closing the throat. Neither the stamens nor the style protrude beyond the corolla tube.

The fruit is a hairless, ⅜″ to ½″ long, egg-shaped to narrowly egg-shaped capsule with numerous seeds.

12″ to 40″

Light lavender-blue to purplish-blue

Wet to moist. Meadows, swamps, fens, open marshy areas, streambanks, riverbanks, springs, and roadside ditches. Full or partial sun.

June to August

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28, 29, 30.

Native

Common and widespread

Family
The genus Mimulus was formerly placed in the family Scrophulariaceae (figwort). Molecular phylogenetic studies in 2002, 2004, and 2005, and a phylogenetic analysis in 2005, all supported the transfer of this and other genera to the family Phrymaceae.

Genus
As now circumscribed, the genus Mimulus is large, containing about 150 species. Future molecular analysis will probably result in separating the species into 2 to 10 genera. If this happens, Mimulus ringens, the type species for this genus, will remain in this genus.

The genus name Mimulus, from the Greek mimos meaning “imitator”, and the common name “monkeyflower”, both refer to red markings on the corolla of some of the yellow species which are said to resemble a monkey’s face.

Found this flower blooming along the bank of the Red Lake River in Red Lake County at the Old Treaty Crossing, Huot MN.

Plant

Flower

Location: Huot MN

Found this flower blooming along the bank of the Red Lake River in Red Lake County at the Old Treaty Crossing, Huot MN.