COPPERY MONKEYFLOWER

Mimulus × bernetii

Monkeyflower [Phrymaceae]

25th July 2005, Waters Road, Marsden.

Photo: © RWD

Growing in a slow-flowing stream mixed in with Water Forgetmenot, a Duckweed and a Water Crowfoot. Coppery Monkeyflower is most probably an intentional 'escapee' from nearby gardens. The flowers are mostly yellowish with a hint of orange on the outside, but internally mostly orange with splashes of yellow.

25th July 2005, Waters Road, Marsden.

Photo: © RWD

All the larger leaves in this photo are that of Coppery Monkeyflower. Flowers are yellower on the outside, and more orange on the inside.

25th July 2005, Waters Road, Marsden.

Photo: © RWD

Leaves have three to five distinct and curved veins.

25th July 2005, Waters Road, Marsden.

Photo: © RWD

Rather like a tuba, the flower flares markedly where the flower tube resolves into five petals.

6th June 2006, Waters Road, Marsden.

Photo: © RWD

On the Corolla the orange/red spots are so densely populated as to merge into one another, almost covering the surface leaving only a few patches of the underlying yellow, whereas the inner part has much fewer spots and is mainly yellow. Five petals, bi-laterally symmetric; larger lower lobe which has a central nick.

25th July 2005, Waters Road, Marsden.

Photo: © RWD

Before fully open, the corolla forms a cone with discontinuity half-way along, rather like a large nut-spinner spanner. Note the orange dots on the sepal tube, or calyx. The leaves in opposite pairs, with rounded triangular teeth.

Easily confused with : Flower [a plant of similar name]

Not to be confused with : Orange Balsam [which has much the same orange/yellow colouring with orange/red splashes of colour (but totally different shape)].

This, Coppery Monkeyflower (Mimulus × bernetii), is the hybrid between : Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus) and the much rarer (Mimulus cupreus) which seems to lack any common name.

Differs from Hybrid Monkeyflower in that the outer corolla part of the flower is mainly orange on a yellow background, with the inner throat being mainly yellow with only a few orange/red spots. Coppery Monkeyflower is sterile.

Superficial resemblance to : Orange Balsam, which is also mainly orange with yellow flecks.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature : the tuba shape with five petals, the mainly orange/red corolla with splashes of yellow, and the yellow inner with much less densely scattered orange spots.

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Distribution
family8Monkeyflower family8Phrymaceae

BSBI maps

Mimulus
(Monkeyflowers)