Common name: Seep Monkeyflower, Common Western Monkeyflower, Seep-spring Monkeyflower
This genus is controversial due to its ease in changing. It is opportunistic. There is some discussion of calling this genus Erythranthe)
CA, USDA, and ITIS still use Mimulus. I am using Hitchcock and Cronquist's description for identification.
H&C give 3 varieties:
var. grandis: robust plants, hairy, on ocean cliffs
var. depauperatus: less robust, without stolons, smaller leaves < 2 cm, often flowers early.
var. guttatus: the common one, often stoloniferous, leaves up to 8 cm. >3 flowers 2-4 cm.
Note: grows only to mid-elevations. can hybridize with E. tilingii where they overlap (3 - 5,000 ft.). The primary difference between M. guttatus and M. tilingii is the number of flowers and/or flower buds. M. guttatus generally has more than 3-5 flowers while M. tilingii has 1-3.