| any of various plants belonging to the genus Mimulus, of the figwort family, as M. cardinalis (scarlet monkey flower), having spotted flowers that resemble a face. |
| monkey flower n. Any of various herbs or shrubs of the genus Mimulus, having variously colored, two-lipped flowers. [From the pattern of spots on its flowers.] |
monkey flower
any of the herbaceous or, rarely, shrubby plants of the genus Mimulus (family Phrymaceae, order Lamiales). The approximately 100 species are distributed worldwide but are particularly common in western North America.
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