Mimulus ringens

Mimulus ringens is a perennial forb occurring primarily in fens, seepages, wet places, marshes, swamps, wet woods, and wet meadows of eastern North America, from Canada through the United States. Scattered populations of unknown nativity also occur in western states and provinces, and this species is introduced to western Europe. There are over 2,000 estimated occurrences of this taxon, which are potentially threatened by development, water diversion, alteration of hydrology, erosion, succession, recreational activities, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent, high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Mimulus ringens is considered secure.

The native range of Mimulus ringens is in eastern North America, from Canada through the United States (FNA 2019). This species occurs from Alberta east through Nova Scotia, south to Georgia, north through North Dakota, and in scattered states in the western United States. However, "variety ringens in Alberta, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington occurs in very scattered, often apparently natural habitats; with more or less certainty, these plants probably are introduced " (FNA 2019). In Colorado, this species was documented from a single collection near Denver in 1895. Mimulus ringens also occurs in western Europe as an introduced species (POWO 2025). The native range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025, and excluding outlier populations in its western range (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025). See individual entries for distribution details about the two varieties.

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 2,000 occurrences in its native range (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

Although threats are not widely documented, Mimulus ringens is likely threatened by development, water diversion, alteration of hydrology, erosion, succession, recreational activities, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, they are considered negligible given the broad range and large number of occurrences of the species and its somewhat flexible and abundant habitat, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities. Reproduction of Mimulus ringens is reduced when this species co-occurs with the invasive purple loosestrife, which bumblebee pollinators prefer (Native Plant Trust 2025).