Wingstem monkeyflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wingstem monkeyflower |
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| Erythranthe alsinoides in John B. Yeon State Scenic Corridor | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Erythranthe
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| Species: |
alsinoides
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The Wingstem Monkeyflower (Erythranthe alsinoides) is a type of monkeyflower. It's also called the Chickweed Monkeyflower. This plant used to be known as Mimulus alsinoides.
Where It Lives
The Wingstem Monkeyflower grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from British Columbia in Canada all the way down to the Klamath Mountains in northern California. It likes to grow in places that are wet and wooded. This includes mossy areas and along the banks of rocky streams.
What It Looks Like
The Wingstem Monkeyflower is an annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces seeds, and then dies all in one year.
Stems and Leaves
The plant has a stem that stands straight up. It can grow to be about 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) tall. Its leaves are oval-shaped and can be green or have a reddish color. They have small teeth along their edges. Each leaf is less than 2 centimeters long. You can see 3 to 5 clear veins on the top of each leaf. The leaves grow in pairs, opposite each other, along the small stem.
Flowers
Each flower grows on a straight, reddish stalk called a pedicel. At the bottom of the flower, there's a slightly hairy red cup made of sepals. This cup is called a calyx. The main part of the flower, which is yellow, is called the corolla. The corolla has two parts on its top and three parts on its bottom. The bottom part usually has a large red spot. You might also see other red marks inside the flower. After the flower blooms, it produces a small fruit that looks like a capsule.
