Monkey Flower - a weed (*Mimulus guttatus).

Family: Phrymaceae.

Native of North America.

Occurrence: An uncommon weed of the Ballarat-Daylesford Area.

Identification:

• the leaves resemble mint leaves, are stalkless and grow in opposite pairs
• the flowers are held above the leaves
• the calyx at the base of the petals (red in the top photo) is tubular with five angles and has five teeth
• the yellow flowers are tubular with red spots.

It is a garden escape. The large, broad, mint-like leaves and showy yellow flowers are distinctive.

Photos 1: Mid summer. Only a few flowers remain. The flowering stem is elongated and the papery calyces remain.
2, 3: Monkey Flower in bloom. Late October. All: Along the Yarrowee River, Nerrina.