| Mimulus purpureus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Phrymaceae |
| Genus: | Mimulus |
| Species: | M. purpureus |
| Binomial name | |
| Mimulus purpureus A.L.Grant |
|
Mimulus purpureus is a species of monkeyflower known by the common name little purple monkeyflower.
It is native to California, where it is known from only about 20 occurrences in the San Bernardino Mountains; it is also known from Baja California. It grows in moist habitat in mountain meadows, including the quartz pebble plain habitat type near Big Bear Lake.
Mimulus purpureus is a petite annual herb growing just a few centimeters tall. The oppositely arranged oval leaves are under 2 centimeters long each. Each flower is borne on a very thin, erect pedicel which may be several centimeters tall. The tubular base of the flower is encapsulated in a reddish ribbed calyx of sepals with tiny pointed lobes. The flower is roughly a centimeter long with a wide mouth divided into an upper and lower lip. The flower is pink, the upper lip usually a darker shade than the lower, and there are yellow stripes or streaks in the mouth.