Seep Monkey Flower

(Mimulus guttatus)

 

Seep Monkey Flower at the base of the bluffs near Fort Point.

Will Elder, NPS

 

Origin Of Genus Name: Mimulus is Latin for "little mime or comic actor," for the face-like corolla.

Presidio Locations: Found in freshwater seeps and other wetlands.

Range In State: Throughout California.

Description: This native, perennial shrub has smooth to hairy leaves on long stems with clusters of smaller leaves that are sticky with a resin that protects against desiccation. The yellowish-orange, tubular flowers have red dots that differentiate it from Sticky Monkey Flower. The name 'Seep' -- a wetland that forms in areas where groundwater discharges to the land surface-- comes from the flower being found in the understory of riparian plant communities, where soil is often moist. Blooms March to October.

Native Californian Uses: Miwok boiled the leaves for food and used a decoction for treating skin sores. The Kawaiisu used a decoction of the stems and leaves as a steambath for chest and back soreness.

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