Scarlet Monkey-flower (Eastwood's Monkey-flower)

Mimulus eastwoodiae

Family: Scrophulariaceae - Figwort Family

Perennial herbs; stems 2.8” to 1.4' (7 to 43 cm) tall

Leaves: opposite; simple; toothed; fan shaped; lower leaves 0.2” to 0.8” (0.5 to 2 cm) long; upper leaves larger 0.8” to 2.8” (2 to 7 cm) long

Flowers: 5 united lobed scarlet/orange-red tubular petals (irregular flowers with upper lip 2 lobed, lower lip 3 lobed), 5 angled sepals; 4 stamens; showy flowers; bilaterally symmetrical; bisexual; flowers 1” to 1.8” (25 to 45 mm) long

Pollinators: other Mimulus species are pollinated by insects and hummingbirds

Fruits: 2 chambered capsule (dry fruit)

Blooms in Arches National Park: September, October

Habitat in Arches National Park: seeps and hanging gardens

Location seen: outside Arches National Park in hanging garden on Corona Arch trail

Other: The genus name, “Mimulus”, is from the Latin “mimus” meaning “mimic” referring to the flowers mimicking a monkey's face or possibly to the monkey-like resemblance of the plant hanging from alcove ceilings. The species name, “eastwoodiae”, honors Alice Eastwood (1859-1953), a curator of botany at the California Academy of Sciences.

The family is of important because of many ornamentals and cardiac glycosides can be derived from foxglove.