Coastal monkeyflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coastal monkeyflower |
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| Mimulus dentatus in Saddle Mountain State Natural Area, Washington (state) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Erythranthe
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| Species: |
dentata
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Erythranthe dentata is a type of monkeyflower. People often call it the coastal monkeyflower or toothleaf monkeyflower. This plant grows naturally along the western coast of North America. You can find it from British Columbia all the way down to northern California. It likes to live in wet places. This plant used to be called Mimulus dentatus.
About the Coastal Monkeyflower
This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years and has soft stems, not woody ones like a tree. It's also rhizomatous, which means it has underground stems called rhizomes. These rhizomes help it spread and grow new plants.
What it Looks Like
The coastal monkeyflower has a stem that stands straight up. It can grow to about 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) tall. The plant is a bit hairy.
Its leaves are oval-shaped and have visible veins. They can be up to 7 centimeters (about 3 inches) long. The leaves grow in pairs, opposite each other on the stem.
Its Flowers
The flowers of the coastal monkeyflower are yellow and shaped like a funnel. They can be up to 4 centimeters (about 1.5 inches) long. The base of the flower is covered by a ribbed outer layer called a calyx. This calyx has pointed parts called sepals.
The wide opening of the flower has two parts on its upper lip and three parts on its lower lip. This gives the flower its unique look.
