Mimulus aurantiacus
| Mimulus aurantiacus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Phrymaceae |
| Genus: | Mimulus |
| Species: | M. aurantiacus |
| Binomial name | |
| Mimulus aurantiacus Curtis | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Diplacus aurantiacus Mimulus aurantiacus Curtis | |
Mimulus aurantiacus, the sticky monkey-flower or orange bush monkey-flower, is a flowering plant that grows in a subshrub form, native to southwestern North America from southwestern Oregon south through most of California. It is treated by some botanists in a separate genus from other Mimulus as Diplacus aurantiacus.[1]
Description
Mimulus aurantiacus grows up to 1.2 meters-4 feet tall, has deep green sticky leaves 3 to 7 cm long and up to a centimeter broad and flowering stems that grow vertically.[2] The flowers are tubular at the base and about 2 centimeters long with five broad lobes; they occur in a variety of shades from white to red, the most common color being a light orange. They are honey plants pollinated by bees and hummingbirds.
It grows in many climates and will thrive in many types of soil, wet, dry, sandy, or rocky. It even grows in serpentine, a soil that most plants have difficulty thriving in because of its unique mineral composition.
Mimulus aurantiacus is an important host plant for Variable checkerspot larvae.[3][4] However, the leaves produce phenolic resin that deters larvae from feeding on it.[5]
Cultivation
Species and cultivars are used in water conserving, native plant, and habitat gardens.
Traditional Native American medical plant
The Miwok and Pomo Native Americans used its flowers and roots to treat a number of ailments, but was particularly useful for its antiseptic qualities as it expedited the healing of minor scrapes and burns.
See also
Gallery
Notes
- ↑ (Curtis) Jeps
- ↑ W. Jepson. 1993
- ↑ "Mimulus aurantiacus_Plant Supplies".
- ↑ "Bush Monkeyflower_Mimulus aurantiacus_(Scrophulariaceae)_California Academy of Sciences_California WildFlowers".
- ↑ Han, Kaiping, and David Lincoln. "The Evolution of Carbon Allocation to Plant Secondary Metabolites: A Genetic Analysis of Cost in Diplacus Aurantiacus." Evolution 48.5 (1994): 1550-563.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mimulus aurantiacus. |
- Jepson Manual treatment of Mimulus aurantiacus
- Calflora Database: Mimulus aurantiacus (Bush Monkey Flower, island monkeyflower, sticky monkeyflower)
- USDA Plants profile for Diplacus aurantiacus ssp. aurantiacus (orange bush monkeyflower)
- ITIS−Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Diplacus aurantiacus
- ITIS: Diplacus aurantiacus ssp. aurantiacus — shows synonyms.