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small-leaved monkey-flower

field monkey-flower

Habit Annuals with fibrous roots; stems usually 5-30 cm, erect, unbranched or many-branched from nodes nearest base, not angled or distinctly 4-angled, glabrous below inflorescence, distal portions of stems sometimes hirtellous with hairs that are occasionally deflexed, sometimes mixed with stipitate glands or occasionally only short villous-glandular. Annuals with fibrous roots or taproots, sometimes rooting at nodes near base if decumbent; stems 5-70 cm, erect to decumbent-ascending, unbranched or branching at medial to proximal nodes, generally with 4 angles, hollow or very narrow, glabrous, sometimes with coarse and stiff pubescence in inflorescence, hairs without glands bending backwards.
Leaves

Leaves basal and cauline, basal leaves occasionally deciduous by flowering;

petioles 3-5 mm from base to mid-stem, becoming sessile and nearly clasping to perfoliate distally;

blade commonly somewhat purple, narrowly ovate to ovate to elliptic to nearly orbicular, 10-35 mm long and 3-25 mm broad, palmate venation with 3-5 veins, base rounded to wedge or nearly heart-shaped, margins more or less crenate or nearly serrate with 5-10 teeth per side, basal and lower cauline leaves irregularly incised near base becoming nearly lyrate;

apex acute to obtuse-rounded, surfaces glabrous or with sparse to moderate coverage of small rigid hairs, eglandular.

Leaves basal and cauline, or basal leaves may not persist, mid-stem or higher leaves often largest and becoming smaller distally; petiolate, petioles 3-20, distally sessile;

blade ovate to orbicular to oblong, middle and distal cauline leaves may be orbicular to nearly reniform, generally 10-35 mm long and 6 to 26 broad, 3-5 palmately-arranged veins, earlobe-like appendages near base, base rounded to truncate to slightly cordate, margins distinctly toothed to nearly entire, larger plants show lower leaves lacerate lobed to pinnatifid margin bases, apex rounded, surfaces glabrous except bracts densely villous beneath and occasionally above, long eglandular hairs flattened and sometimes transparent.

Flowers

Axillary flowers 1-8, emerging from nodes towards ends of stems; fruiting pedicels 8-30 mm, hairy-glandular as stems;

calyx nodding at 30-90 degrees, occasionally somewhat reddish or red-dotted, ovoid-campanulate to widely cylindric-campanulate, inflated, compressed across sagittal plane, usually 9-16 mm, hirtellous or glabrous, throat closing weakly or strongly;

corollas yellow to dark yellow to orangish yellow, typically with red spots, lower limb occasionally with large red splotch, symmetric bilaterally, bilabiate;

tube-throat widely funnel-shaped, 8-16 mm, protruding 2-6 mm beyond calyx margin;

limb expanded 8-25 mm, palate villous;

styles slightly hirtellous;

anthers not protruding, glabrous.

Axillary flowers generally 3-8, emerging from distal-most nodes; fruiting pedicels eglandular and smooth, longer than subtending leaves, typically 5-40 mm;

calyx sometimes with red dots, ovate to campanulate, inflated, compressed along sagittal plane, 9-14 mm, slightly hirtellous, throat sometimes closed or open, lobes curving upward weakly, top lobe not significantly longer than lower lobe, not distinctly curved;

corollas yellow, commonly with red spots, weak bilateral symmetry or near radial symmetry, slightly bilabiate or almost regular;

tube-throat cylindric to funnel-shaped, 8-12 mm, protruding 1-2 mm past calyx margin;

limb expanded 5-10 mm;

styles glabrous;

anthers not protruding, glabrous.

Fruits

Capsules 6-9 mm, included.

Capsules 6-7 mm, included, stalked.

Erythranthe microphylla

Erythranthe arvensis

Flowering time April-July May-July
Habitat Rocky slopes, wet meadows, streambanks, and seeps from lowland areas to middle elevations in the mountains. Open slopes and stream bank.;
Distribution
Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; central British Columbia to California, east to western Idaho and Nevada.
[WildflowerSearch map]
Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California, east to southern Idaho, Utah, and Nevada, disjunct in west-central Montana.
[WildflowerSearch map]
Origin Native Native
Conservation status Not of concern Not of concern
Sibling taxa
E. alsinoides, E. ampliata, E. arvensis, E. breviflora, E. breweri, E. caespitosa, E. cardinalis, E. decora, E. dentata, E. floribunda, E. grandis, E. guttata, E. inflatula, E. jungermannioides, E. lewisii, E. moschata, E. nasuta, E. patula, E. primuloides, E. ptilota, E. pulsiferae, E. scouleri, E. suksdorfii, E. washingtonensis
E. alsinoides, E. ampliata, E. breviflora, E. breweri, E. caespitosa, E. cardinalis, E. decora, E. dentata, E. floribunda, E. grandis, E. guttata, E. inflatula, E. jungermannioides, E. lewisii, E. microphylla, E. moschata, E. nasuta, E. patula, E. primuloides, E. ptilota, E. pulsiferae, E. scouleri, E. suksdorfii, E. washingtonensis
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