Penstemon gracilentus
Encyclopedia
Penstemon gracilentus is a species of penstemon
known by the common name slender beardtongue. It is native to the mountains and sagebrush plateau of northeastern California
, western Nevada
, and southern Oregon
, where it grows in forest, woodland, and scrub habitat. It is a perennial herb producing upright branches to about 65 centimeters in maximum height, the stems developing woody bases. The leaves are up to 10 centimeters in length and linear or lance-shaped. The glandular inflorescence
produces several tubular purple flowers up to 2 centimeters long. The mouth of each flower may be hairless or coated in long hairs, and the staminode
usually has a coat of yellow hairs.
Penstemon
Penstemon , Beard-tongue, is a large genus of North American and East Asian plants traditionally placed in the Scrophulariaceae family. Due to new genetic research, it has now been placed in the vastly expanded family Plantaginaceae...
known by the common name slender beardtongue. It is native to the mountains and sagebrush plateau of northeastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, western Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and southern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, where it grows in forest, woodland, and scrub habitat. It is a perennial herb producing upright branches to about 65 centimeters in maximum height, the stems developing woody bases. The leaves are up to 10 centimeters in length and linear or lance-shaped. The glandular inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
produces several tubular purple flowers up to 2 centimeters long. The mouth of each flower may be hairless or coated in long hairs, and the staminode
Staminode
In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen. This means that it does not produce pollen. Staminodes are frequently inconspicuous and stamen-like, usually occurring at the inner whorl of the flower, but are also sometimes long enough to protrude from the...
usually has a coat of yellow hairs.