Species: Mimulus ringens var. ringens L.

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Mimulus ringens var. ringens L.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Scrophulariaceae

Genus:

Mimulus

Species Synonyms:

Mimulus minthodes Greene
Mimulus pallidus Salisb.
Mimulus ringens var. congesta Farw.
Mimulus ringens var. minthodes (Greene) A.L. Grant

Common Names:

blue monkeyflower
alleghany monkeyflower

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

east-central Saskatchewan – Manitoba – Ontario – Quebec New Brunswick – Nova Scotia

Saskatchewan:

east-central Saskatchewan; Red Deer River Valley

Ecoregion:

Boreal Transition, Mid-Boreal Lowland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

moist, gravelly or rocky river shores

Associated Species:

American elm, common spikerush, Manitoba maple, tufted loosestrife

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Blue monkeyflower is threatened because of rarity in Saskatchewan. It is highly restricted in the province. Possible threats are inferred by occurrences in heavy populated areas, fragile habitats, or areas of possible planned developments.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Growth Habit:

20 – 130 cm

Stems:

rhizomes or runners may be present; perennial, hairless, ascending to erect, simple or branched, 4-angled, may be narrowly winged

Leaves:

opposite, sessile, clasping or with ear-like lobes at the base, 2.5 – 8 cm long, 6 – 20 mm wide, lance-shaped to narrowly oblong, pinnately nerved

Inflorescence:

flowers solitary; stalks 2 – 3.5 cm long, divergent

Flowers:

sepals 10 – 16 mm long, tubular, lobes more or less equal; petals 2 – 3 cm long, strongly 2-lipped, upper lip slightly erect to reflexed, lower lip spreading, blue to lavender; stamens 4, in two groups of two, included to slightly exserted

Fruits:

capsule 10 – 12 mm long, ovoid

MIMULUS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Petals blue; stems 4-angled	M. ringens var. ringens
1 Petals yellow; stems round	2

2 Stems mostly creeping; sepals 5 – 12 mm long; petal throat more or less open; upper leaves wider than long	M. glabratus var. jamesii
2 Stems erect; sepals longer than 12 mm; petal throat more or less closed; upper leaves longer than wide	M. guttatus