Monkeyflowers

Monkey flower (Mimulus) is a pretty diverse genus formerly in the recently re-thunk snapdragon family (Scrophulariaceae), now in the lopseed family (Phrymaceae).  The genus is at home in western North America and Australia.  The two species pictured here are sticky monkey flower (M. aurantiacus - above) and seep monkey flower (M. guttatus - below). Note M. auriantiacus, seems to be moving to another genus: Diplacus.

Sticky monkey flower is a shrub that grows in dry slopes throughout California. The sticky is on the underside of the leaf.  It's a resin produced by the plant to discourage caterpillars from devouring the leaves.  Seep monkey flower is an herbaceous annual that grows in low lying ever-moist areas like springs and drainage ditches.

M. aurantiacus photos at top taken on May 20 at Alder Creek near Manchester.  M. guttatus photos above taken near Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg, and M. guttatus photos below taken by the side of Orr Springs Road east of Comptche on May 1.

Indian Warrior

I see these flowers growing in patches by the side of the road, especially in the Pygmy forest. With sun-bronzed feathery leaves and deep red flowers, these patches are conspicuous mats of color amidst the gravel and grass.

Indan warrior (Pedicularis densiflora) are found all over the western states. They're root parasites (they can link up with other plants' roots to "borrow" nutrients and water) that specialize in shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae - i.e. huckleberry, salal, manzanita), though they can also survive without using that technique.

As far as classification goes, it seems to be in transition. I'd always thought of these plants as being in the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). But now the genus Pedicularis (AKA lousewort) has been moved, along with Castilleja (paintbrush), to the broomrape family (Orobanchaceae), a family of fellow root parasites.

The leaves of the plants growing in the shade remain green. The ones below are growing in the shade of huckleberry bushes.

And then there's this: Click here

These photos taken on April 23, on Rd. 409 near Caspar, Ca.

Snow Queen

This was a new one for me. Snow queen (Synthyris reniformis var. cordata), a member of the snapdragon family (Scrophulariaceae), is much too small and inconspicuous for such a dramatic name as snow queen. The flowers were about as high as my longest finger, and I was flat on my belly for this shot.

This species can have more reniform (kidney shaped - wider than long) leaves than the one shown here, but leaf shape is variable. Jepson says that plants with leaves longer than they are wide were known as S. reniformis var. cordata, so I take it this may be outdated.

There's also variation in flower color in this species - they're more commonly found with blue to purple flowers.

Photos taken on March 14 in the Noyo watershed east of Fort Bragg, Ca. The flowers were growing on the roadbed of a little-traveled redwood forest road.

[This just in: the snapdragon or figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, according to the wikipedia article has been hacked to pieces and many genera kicked out and sent to other families, including Synthyris, which apparently belongs now to Plantaginaceae (plantain family). This is exactly why I wouldn't necessarily want to be a real botanist.]