Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Mimulus
Species: M. guttatus
Binomial name: Mimulus guttatus
Common name: Monkey musk
Mimulus guttatus originally from North America is 10 to 80 cm tall with large, 20 to 40 mm long, tubular flowers (Nov-March). The perennial form spreads with stolons or rhizomes. The stem may be erect or recumbent. In the latter form, roots may develop at leaf nodes. Sometimes dwarfed, it may be hairless or have some hairs. Leaves are opposite, round to oval, usually coarsely and irregularly toothed or lobed.
The bright yellow flowers (3cm in diameter) are born on a raceme, most often with five or more flowers. The calyx has five lobes that are much shorter than the flower. Each flower has bilateral symmetry and has two lips. The upper lip usually has two lobs; the lower, three. The bearded lower lip may have one large to many small reddish-brown spots. The opening to the flower is hairy.
It is found in a wide range of habitat, growing in lakeside, stream sides, freshwater springs, drains and wet places where it replaces native species.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
