Zone 5b. Northeastern Indiana.

Growing in part-sun and natural dry clay soil conditions. Blooming now.

Plant is approx. 2' tall.

Leaves are in opposite pairs, clasping, and fine-toothed.

Bloom stalks emerge from leaf junctures, in the top half of the plant, with single, terminal flowers of about 3/4" in size.

Calyx (is this the right term?) is four part, and flat-sided.

maybe one of these:
Delphinium tricorne
Lobelia siphilitica

or this:
Mimulus ringens

My first thought was (Dwarf Delphinium) D. tricorne: http://uswildflowers.com/detai... but I don't think the leaves match.

Lee Anne, I think you're on the right track...

I'm thinking perhaps - Mimulus ringens L. var. ringens
Allegheny monkeyflower http://plants.usda.gov/java/pr...

I'll look at my plant again momentarily and report back.

I don't know...

...to me the blooms still look different, and I can clearly see stamens/pistils in my plant.

I'll try to get better pictures soon.

The plant looks right to be Mimulus ringens, but I can't see the flowers clearly enough to be sure. If the flowers don't match M. ringens, you might take a look at Trichostema setaceum.

www.missouriplants.com/Blueopp/Trichostema_setaceum_page.html

Thanks, Kent.

[It's not that one. The reproductive units on my plant are tiny, and very close-set to the top center of the inflorescence.]

When I look at a (fairly well-aged) bloom on my plant I see distinctly separate, rather lax and tending to fold over each other, petals (sepals?); one of which sports a much darker purple-blue face.

I may pull blooms off today and bring them into better light to photograph.

Okay. I couldn't get a good close-up without removing a bloom and floating it in water, so here it is...in the pool.

Now, I'm really, really wondering what this plant is!

I'm finally convinced that this is Allegheny monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens var. ringens).

Here's a fresh bloom.




What do you think?