[Monkeyflowers: The Genus Erythranthe in Mt. Adams Country]

Miniature Monkey-flower, Suksdorf's Monkeyflower

Erythranthe suksdorfii

Synonym: Mimulus suksdorfii

Miniature Monkey-flower, Suksdorf's Monkeyflower: Erythranthe suksdorfii (Synonym: Mimulus suksdorfii)

Suksdorf's monkefylower in bloom from a roadside ditch 12 miles west of Silver Lake, OR....late June, 1995.

Characteristics:

Suksdorf's monkey flower is a small annual with slender, often well-branched stems from 3-10 cm high. The herbage is finely glandular. The numerous leaves are linear to narrowly oblong or the lower oblanceolate. They either have short petioles or are sessile. Individual leaves may be up to 2 cm long and have entire margins with 1-3 veins from the base of the blade.

The yellow flowers are small (from 4-8 mm long) with small red dots on the lower lip. The flower is slightly two-lipped, with a notch at each petal tip. The sepals are fused, up to 5 mm long, and a deep cinnamon color.
Habitat: Suksdorf's monkey flower is found in moist low areas which dry out thoroughly by summer. It is found in these habitats from the lowlands to fairly high elevation in the mountains.

Range:

Suksdorf's monkey flower may be found from Mount Adams in Washington south along the east slopes of the Cascade Range to southern California and eastward to Wyoming and Colorado.

Paul Slichter