A N F Keys
1 Shrub to subshrubs, drought-deciduous, aromatic, with opposite branching and short, unexpanded axillary shoots; blades sometimes inrolled (somewhat revolute) when water-stressed; flowers in axillary pairs, (25−)35−55 mm long, typically orange yellow or light orange with white markings but variable to red, pale orange, light yellow, or nearly white .. Mimulus aurantiacus var. aurantiacus [pics]
1' Plants herbaceous
2 Rhizomatous perennials 1-stemmed at base, growing in waterfalls and creek beds with permanently wet substrate; leaves never inrolled; flowers 35−45 mm long, scarlet; anthers with inconspicuous bristles .. Mimulus cardinalis [pics]
2' Annuals; flowers light to bright yellow; anthers glabrous
3 Shoots pubescent strictly with stalked glandular hairs to 0.8 mm long; at anthesis pedicels 3−4.5 mm long; calyx strongly pleated and 15−17.5 mm long; corolla lips 14−32 mm wide; filaments 10−11 mm long (lower pair) and 13−16 mm long (upper pair) .. Mimulus brevipes [pics]
3' Shoots glabrous, puberulent, or densely hairy with long glandular hairs > 0.8 mm long; at anthesis pedicels 5−10 mm long; corolla lips typically < 14 mm long (to 18 mm long in M. guttatus); filaments not as described
4 Vegetative plants puberulent with short, narrowly conic nonglandular hairs and some scattered stalked glandular hairs; flowers 4−17.5 mm long; calyx strongly pleated, 3.5−12.5 mm long; filaments 3−11 mm long (lower pair) and 4−13.5 mm long (upper pair) .. Mimulus guttatus [pics]
4' Plants densely hairy with long, stalked glandular hairs; flowers 7−8 mm long; calyx angled to weakly pleated, 5−7 mm long
5 Leaves sessile; blades 16−37 × 4−7 mm, with long wavy hairs; corolla 2-lipped; filaments 1.4−1.8 mm long (lower pair) and 2.8−3.2 mm long (upper pair) .. Mimulus pilosus [pics]
5' Leaves petiolate, petioles 1.5−25 mm long; blades 10−42 × 7−36 mm, with long straight hairs; corolla lacking well-defined lips; filaments 2−3 mm long (lower stamens) and 2.5−3 mm long (upper stamens) .. Mimulus floribundus [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013