Learn Something New Every Day

In my last report I was preoccupied with bugs.  Almost forgot that when I had that close encounter with a Ctenucha moth, I was actually in pursuit of photos of the only blooming Scarlet Monkeyflower I've seen this year, and the only one I've ever seen at Oakland Feather River Camp.  It was blooming in a shady area near Gilson Creek.  I've always thought this species of Mimulus looked a little different than other monkeyflowers I've known, so this time I decided to do a little research.  As a frame of reference, I'm including a recent photo of the Seep Spring Monkeyflower, also at Oakland Camp, that is my idea of a "normal" monkeyflower.  Turns out the genus Mimulus has been moved to a different family!  I've always known it as a member of the snapdragon family, Scrophulariaceae, but now it is in Family Phrymaceae.  In the discussions of this family I've read there's mention that there are three general types of monkeyflowers, all still called Mimulus, but which perhaps should be recognized as belonging to three different subfamilies.  I also learned that two major centers of radiation of monkeyflower species are western USA, especially California, and Australia.    The American species have certain features in common that differentiate them from the Australian species.  Now, I'm not about to drop my interest in other plants and animals in order to become a Mimulus specialist, but it is still fun to learn something new.  I'll be watching for new field guides to include the family Phrymaceae.  None of my current ones do.