monkeyflower ~ 01/02/12 ~ Palo Corona

monkeyflower
Mimulus sp. (aka Diplacus sp.)
Phrymaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae)

Andy and I joke with each other regularly about how we're getting old. Despite his increasing amount of grey in his beard (and ear tufts... snicker) and my having gained a few extra pounds, we're mostly referring to our older mindset. I'm feeling more and more fixed in my opinions. This monkeyflower reminds me of this. I've never seen one so reddish-orange, and it was obviously purposely planted near the interpretive signs. The wild growing monkeyflowers on this same hike were the typical buttery orange color of Mimulus aurantiacus that I've come to expect to be blooming somewhere near here all year round.

I have some issue with planting "natives" when, in fact, they may not actually be native to a specific area. Town Mouse and Country Mouse had an interesting post recently making the distinction between native plants and native garden hybrids. With native planting so popular here in CA, I've often wondered how "native" is defined, especially when I spot plants in gardens that are obviously from SoCal (Santa Barbara south to San Diego), several hundred miles south of where I live. It might as well be in a different country, but we all know political and natural boundaries do not coincide.

I've tried my best to ID this particular plant and I'm at a loss, partially due to botanical names being changed left and right. I had to laugh when Las Pilitas Nursery stated, "The botanists over the years have called it all sorts of names, with no cross references, very confusing. Botanists need to get a life!" My best guess is that this is a cultivated hybrid. The closest visual matches I've found have been: CalPhotos 1 (most significant for the local cultivated description), CalPhotos 2 (showing how the experts can't seem to agree), San Diego Sunrise from Las Pilitas, and Sunset Monkeyflower from Camissonia's Corner (a garden blogger from SoCal).

sticky monkeyflower ~ 06/09/11 ~ Pinnacles

sticky monkeyflower / bush monkeyflower
Mimulus aurantiacus
Phrymaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae)

I'm surprised I haven't posted this plant on Nature ID before now. It is one of the most common flowers we see seemingly all year-round on the coast - I'll make a point to verify that it indeed blooms in the winter months. Here is one plant where the common name(s) may be better used than the scientific name. Some place this plant in a different genus, Diplacus. Others include separate species as synonyms, e.g., Diplacus grandiflorus, aka Mimulus bifidus, aka Mimulus aurantiacus. It's really quite confusing. And this doesn't even cover its new family inclusion. It's like keeping track of Hollywood celebrities and their kids who divorce, remarry, and have stage names - names and family relations are constantly changing.

ps 12/24/11 - John Wall recently captured pictures of sticky monkeyflower blooming in December.

cutpetal bush monkeyflower ~ 05/28/09 ~ Los Padres Dam

cutpetal bush monkeyflower
Mimulus bifidus
Phrymaceae (formerly Scrophulariaceae)

Now, I'm not positive about the ID to species (M. aurantiacus?), but I'm sure it's a Mimulus. Los Padres has the prettiest monkeyflowers I have ever seen! The incredible color reminded us of the color of creamsicles. Wow! I only wish my camera could focus up close (hint, hint).

ps 07/10/11 - It looks like this flower is aka Diplacus grandiflorus. Also, it has been moved to the lopseed family, which I have corrected above.