#phrymaceae

Diplacus puniceus

The plants now placed in Diplacus, known as Monkey Flowers, were formerly included in Mimulus, but that genus was split up. The family placement has changed too, since the Mimulus-Diplacus group were formerly placed in the large family Scrophulariaceae, but DNA evidence showed that several distinct lineages were lumped together, and that they were not all each other's closest relatives. So now we have Diplacus and Mimulus in the family Phrymaceae, a smaller and more cohesive grouping. Diplacus puniceus comes from southern California (south of L.A.) and down into northern Baja California. This is a very drought-tolerant species with vivid red or red-orange flowers that thrives in a Mediterranean climate.

Formerly Mimulus guttatus, the original binomial given to it in 1813 by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle. It's also had 32 synonyms over the years, but in 2012 it was moved to the genus Erythranthe by American botanist Guy L. Nesom. Erythranthe refers to the red flowers of some species in the genus, and guttatus to the spots in the throat of this one.

Native to streambanks and seeps in western North America, tolerating salt spray, toxic mine tailings, hydrothermal fields, and desert conditions, as long as the ground is damp. Very common in New Zealand near water bodies, as here on the bank of the Avon. An introduced species in Europe.

As well as being grown as an ornamental, the leaves are edible, both raw and cooked, and sometimes added to salads.

Erythranthe guttata, Phrymaceae

On a Sunday, the bus I take to work follows a different route so I get to walk through a park on my way there, and that’s how I spotted this common yellow monkeyflower this morning. This highly variable species was formerly known as Mimulus guttata, and looking at these flowers I instantly thought of Mimulus ‘Splash’, one of the summer bedding plants we keep in the garden centre where I work, but I had never actually seen it with my eyes. 

Diplacus aurantiacus

This species, commonly known as the sticky monkey-flower, is a very common plant in California, but the usual color is pale orange. The white form, with a little yellow in the throat, is a delightful change of pace. Known for many years as Mimulus aurantiacus (and placed in the family Scrophulariaceae), it has been re-named as Diplacus aurantiacus and put in the family Phrymaceae.