Sticky monkey flower in north coastal scrub, south-facing slope of Claremont Canyon.
Monkey flower is about to bloom in coastal scrub areas all over the Claremont Canyon. In the next couple of months, when you're out walking on the trail, look for a low-lying bush with an abundance of small gold-orange, horn-shaped flowers and reflect upon a neat synergy with our native bees. In a related story, Berkeley News reports on UC Assistant Professor Benjamin Blackman's recent publication regarding two forms of monkey flower found in California, Mimulus guttatus and Mimulus lewisii (note, other names also apply). Blackman identified a gene that allows pigmented spots to "act as 'bee landing pads' attracting nearby pollinators." Our local sticky monkey flower, Mimulus aurantiacus, which is more common in Claremont Canyon, is less likely to display spots but nevertheless is well-known to attract bees and hummingbirds for pollination. Read more here.
