Mimulus discolor (yellow)
Mimulus discolor (pink)
Mimulus palmeri
Mimulus shevockii
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 with more common species. Outdated taxonomic treatments undoubtedly hamper current conservation efforts and may lead to inadequate or even incorrect partitions of species diversity.
My dissertation research focuses on a group of sixteen species in the genus Mimulus, referred to here as the "Mimulus palmeri lineage," and integrates field observations, molecular sequence data, and an evaluation of flora traits, to examine systematics, reproductive biology, and conservation of the group. Over the course of my work I have conducted extensive field research, photographing and collecting data from Mimulus populations primarily in southern California. The primary objectives of this study are to 1) Resolve taxonomic issues and identify taxa that are in need of conservation; 2) Determine evolutionary relationships among species within the lineage, and examine species traits in a phylogenetic context; 3) Study the pollination biology and evaluate mating systems in the Mimulus palmeri lineage; 4) Establish ex-situ conservation seed collections for rare and endangered species in the Mimulus palmeri lineage and evaluate their conservation status.