The photo above shows common monkey flower as seen on moist
cliffs near Sherar's Bridge on the Deschutes River.......April
18, 2004. Note the large red spot on the lower lip of the
corolla. This plant might at first sight pass for chickweed
monkeyflower, but when one looks at the calyx, one can note that
the upper tooth is much longer than the other calyx teeth, a
characteristic of common monkey flower. Note also the palmately
veined leaves and the angular stems. Common monkey flower is a
fibrous-rooted annual or perennial with stout stolons. Depending
on moisture content of its habitat, it may be small to large in
its stature. At its largest, its lax stems may arise as high as
1 meter. The stems are succulent and range from glabrous to
lightly pubescent. The large leaves are palmately veined with
3-7 veins. The lower leaves are petiolate while those of the
upper stem become reduced in size and sessile. Individual leaf
blades are variable in shape, which range from kidney-shaped to
ovate or rounded. The margi