[Monkey Flowers East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower

Erythranthe floribunda

Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus

Corolla lobes of Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower: Erythranthe floribunda (Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus) - Corolla and Calyx of Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower: Erythranthe floribunda (Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus)

Inflorescence of Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower: Erythranthe floribunda (Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus) - Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower: Erythranthe floribunda (Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus) - Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower: Erythranthe floribunda (Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus)

Stem leaf of Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower: Erythranthe floribunda (Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus) - Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower: Erythranthe floribunda (Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus) - Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower: Erythranthe floribunda (Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus)

Additional close-up photos of purple-stem monkeyflower as seen along the west bank of the Deschutes River just upstream from Heritage Park........July 27, 2011.


>Many-flowered Monkey-flower, Purple-stem Monkey Flower, Purple-stemmed Monkeyflower: Erythranthe floribunda (Synonyms: Mimulus deltoides, Mimulus floribundus, Mimulus geniculatus, Mimulus membranaceus, Mimulus multiflorus, Mimulus pubescens, Mimulus serotinus, Mimulus subulatus, Mimulus trisulcatus)The photo at right shows purple-stem monkey flower photographed along the west bank of the Deschutes River at its mouth............September 3, 2000.

Characteristics:

Purple-stem monkey flower is a small, erect to lax annual with simple or more commonly branched stems ranging from 5-25 cm in length. The stems and leaves are commonly densely glandular hairy (See photos at right and below.). They may also be somewhat slimy in texture. The leaves are triangular-ovate to somewhat heart-shaped with acute teeth up to 2 mm long along the margins. The leaf venation may appear somewhat palmate or pinnate. The leaf petioles are shorter than the blades. The leaf blades range from 1-3 cm long.

The calyx is mostly glandular and hairy as seen at right and ranges from 4-8 mm long. The corolla is tubular with 5 widely spread lobes and ranges from 6-14 mm long. The lobes are slightly two-lipped, with the lower trio only slightly larger than the upper pair. The corolla is yellow with several small red dots and some ventral pubescence within the throat (See photo above.).


Habitat:

Purple-stem monkey flower is found in moist open places at lower elevations. It is found along the Columbia River shores in the west Gorge and along streams, seeps, and on wet cliffs throughout the Gorge.


Range:

Purple-stem monkey flower is found from southern British Columbia south along the eastern base of the Cascade Mts. to California and east to Montana and south in the Rockies to New Mexico.


Paul Slichter