Authors: L.
Widely clump-forming perennial, usually less than 30cm in height with prostrate or decumbent stems rooting at the nodes. Leaves broadly ovate 2-3cm long, five- to seven-veined and toothed. Flowers about 4-4.5cm in length, yellow, bearing small red or red-purple spots in the throat and larger ones on the lobes, summer to autumn. Chile and Argentina, in moist places. Naturalised in Great Britain and elsewhere. M.l. var. alpinus (M. alpinus of gardens) is a lower-growing, mat-forming variety from mountain habitats. M.l. 'Duplex' has hose-in-hose flowers. M. luteus crossed with M. guttatus and M. cupreus is a primary parent of the many clonal and seed raised cultivars. See M. X hybridus and M. X variegatus.
