Common Local Monkey Flowers:

Mimulus alsinoides --Chickweed Monkey Flower (Tiny yellow flowers- moist banks & cliffs in the Columbia Gorge).

Mimulus lewisii --Lewis' Monkey Flower (Pink flowers- moist streams or seeps in the open in alpine areas).

1. Large, tubular flowers with 5 irregular-shaped petals arranged into lips. The flowers are bright yellow, frequently with tiny red dots on the lower lip, and tiny white hairs in the mouth of the flower.

2. The sepals at the base of each flower are fused, forming a green and brown, ridged sack which sounds the flower tube.

3. The leaves are opposite on the soft fleshy stems, with clasping stems and toothed margins.

4. The plant gets its name from the two-lipped flowers, which when viewed from head on, seem to look somewhat like the head of a monkey.

1. Pretty wildflower which may be used as a short-lived perennial in moist gardens.

2. The flowers, stems, and leaves may be used in salads, soups, or stews.

3. The juices may be used as a body lotion or as a salve for small cuts, bug bites, etc..

[An additional photo of a monkey flower- (51 Kb)]