Rocky Mountain monkeyflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rocky Mountain monkeyflower |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Erythranthe
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| Species: |
gemmipara
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The Erythranthe gemmipara, also known as the Rocky Mountain monkeyflower, is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the Phrymaceae family. This special plant is found only in Colorado, United States, and there are only eight known places where it grows! It used to be called Mimulus gemmiparus.
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Rocky Mountain Monkeyflower: A Unique Plant
This plant is an annual herb, meaning it lives for only one year. It usually grows to be about 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) tall.
How This Plant Makes More Plants
One of the most interesting things about the Rocky Mountain monkeyflower is how it reproduces. Some of its leaves have tiny buds called gemmae on their stems (called petioles). When a leaf falls off the plant, these gemmae can grow into a brand new plant!
This is the main way this species makes more plants because it rarely produces flowers. And even when it does, the flowers can't make seeds. The gemmae likely spread to new places by floating on water. Because of this, you often find colonies of these plants, with "mother" plants surrounded by their "daughter" plants.
When flowers do appear, they are yellow with red spots and are about half a centimeter long. Even though flowers are rare in nature, if you grow these plants in a greenhouse, they might produce many more flowers!
Where Does This Plant Live?
The Rocky Mountain monkeyflower grows in cool, high-altitude areas, like subalpine regions. It loves moist places, such as wet spots in granite rocks and cliffs, or in forests near springs.
You can often find this plant growing alongside other types of monkeyflowers, like Erythranthe floribunda and Erythranthe guttata. The forests where it lives are often filled with spruce, fir, and aspen trees. Other plants that might share its home include the fivepetal cliffbush, shootingstar, Rocky Mountain columbine, and different kinds of willows.
Keeping This Plant Safe
Because the Rocky Mountain monkeyflower is so rare, it's important to protect it. Activities like hiking and horseback riding can sometimes accidentally harm these delicate plants. It's crucial to be careful and stay on marked trails when exploring areas where this special plant might live.
