Mimulus discolor
Mimulus palmeri
Mimulus purpureus
Mimulus shevockii
The study of plant diversity is extremely valuable in documenting changes in our environment over time, yet our basic knowledge of plant species remains remarkably meager. It is estimated that least 5% of the vascular plant species in North America (a relatively well documented region) are yet undiscovered. Outdated taxonomies based on overall morphological similarity undoubtedly hamper current conservation efforts and may lead to inadequate or even incorrect partitions of species diversity. Providing species names for identifiable or unique lineages is crucial to species conservation since populations or groups of populations of plants that are unnamed and lack taxonomic status cannot be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The genus of flowering plants known as Mimulus (Phrymaceae) is particularly diverse in western North America, with 75% of the total number of species in the genus represented here. At least 66 species of Mimulus are currently listed by government agencies and native plant societies as sensitive, rare, or endangered, making Mimulus a group of conservation concern. However, species delimitation and taxonomic relationships in Mimulus remain unclear, with 90 to 170 species recognized. In addition, many previously recognized rare species have been lumped in with more common species. Resolving taxonomic issues, and identifying the basic units of diversity, namely species, must happen before conservation measures can be established. Once we have identified the units of diversity we seek to conserve, we must then acquire a basic knowledge of species-specific natural history processes in order
Over the course of my doctoral research through field and herbarium research I have uncovered five new and previously undescribed, and therefore unnamed, species of Mimulus. There are two species complex' where the taxonomic confusion is centered: the Mimulus montioides species complex, and the Mimulus palmeri species complexfor conservation efforts to be effective.
Poster