Phrymaceae

Phrymas Family

Monkeyflowers

FAMILY: Phrymas or lopseed family (Phrymaceae) – Mimulus genus. This genus was formerly placed in the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae).

SPECIES: #1 roundleaf monkeyflower (Mimulus glabratus Kunth). #2 seepspring monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus DC.).

TO UTILIZE AS FOOD: The leaves (and presumably the flowers) of both species listed above are edible fresh or cooked.

Roundleaf monkeyflower (M. glabratus) can be used in the same way as seepspring monkeyflower described below. Both species look very similar. Roundleaf monkeyflower is available anytime from March to August in moist habitats. It’s commonly found in sandy soils along crystal clear canyon streams.

Seepspring monkeyflower (M. guttatus) leaves taste mild, lettuce-like, and slightly bitter when eaten fresh. A characteristic unique to the phrymas family is also present. Fresh flowers have a similar aspect, but milder, sweeter, and less lettuce-like. No acrid, soapy, resinous, or other harsh accents degrade the flavor of these parts. The texture is soft, fleshy, chewable, and free of stringy fibers. Fresh leaves can be added to salads. Cooked leaves are fine as potherbs, but the texture becomes mushy like canned spinach. Simmering yields a brownish-green broth that’s suitable for soups. Seepspring monkeyflower grows in colonies along streams and other watercourses over a wide range of elevations. Gathering a supply is easy thanks to the generous leaf size and leaf count. Seepspring monkeyflower is available over a long period of time, from March to August, and seems to be of good quality regardless of when it’s gathered.

NOTES: I sampled a related species called Bigelow’s monkeyflower (M. bigelovii) in the Mojave Desert of southern California. This species is not reported to be edible. However, it’s been said that desert wildflowers without milky or colored sap are generally edible (United States Air Force p. 245). Bigelow’s monkeyflower blooms in abundance along dry washes after seasonal winter rains. Despite being only 2-5 cm tall, it produces showy flowers that would make larger plants envious. The pinkish-purple corollas readily detach from the hairy calyx tubes and wiry pedicels, which conveniently solves the problem of having to separate these less desirable parts. Deciduous corollas are a common trait of the Mimulus genus. Corollas of Bigelow’s monkeyflower taste bland and lack any trace of sweetness. They’re unlikely to be a favorite, but they should suffice as salad material when nothing else is available. The texture is moist and delicate. Hundreds of corollas are needed to make just one salad, so gathering enough would take all morning. Since the edibility of Bigelow’s monkeyflower could not be verified, consumption is not advised.

IDENTIFICATION: About 90 species of the Mimulus genus are found in the United States, almost all of which are native to the West.

Description of roundleaf monkeyflower (Mimulus glabratus): FORM perennial plant about 10-60 cm tall; spreading and rooting at the nodes; LEAVES simple; opposite; blades nearly round; margins toothed; FLOWERS irregular, perfect, ovary superior, and arising individually from the leaf axils; pedicels longer than the calyces; calyces 5-toothed, the upper tooth much larger than the others, fruiting calyx not folded inward; corollas yellow with red spots, tubular, 5-lobed, and 2-lipped, the opening not closed by the palate; pistils 1; styles 1; stigmas 2; stamens 4; FRUITS capsules; HABITAT streams and other wet areas; Michigan to Texas and westward to Arizona and Nevada; generally more eastern than the following species; blooming March to August.

Description of seepspring monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus): FORM perennial plant about 10-60 cm tall; spreading and rooting at the nodes; LEAVES simple; opposite; blades egg-shaped and often with small basal lobes; margins toothed; FLOWERS irregular, perfect, ovary superior, and arising individually from the leaf axils; pedicels longer than the calyces; calyces 5-toothed, the upper tooth much larger than the others, fruiting calyx folded inward; corollas yellow with red spots, tubular, 5-lobed, and 2-lipped, the opening closed by the palate; pistils 1; styles 1; stigmas 2; stamens 4; FRUITS capsules; HABITAT streams and other wet areas; New Mexico to Montana and all states westward; generally more western than the previous species; blooming March to August.

REFERENCES: #1 roundleaf monkeyflower (Mimulus glabratus): leaves Couplan (p. 392). #2 seepspring monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus): leaves Couplan (p. 392) and Moerman (p. 156).