(White Penstemon)

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Penstemon albidus, Pawnee Buttes, Weld Co. 7967

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Penstemon albidus, Pawnee Buttes, Weld Co. 7969

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Penstemon albidus, Pawnee Buttes, Weld Co. 7974

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Penstemon albidus, Pawnee Buttes, Weld Co. 7979

Scientific Name Penstemon albidus USDA PLANTS Symbol PEAL2
Common Name White Penstemon, White Beardtongue ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 33666
Family Plantaginaceae (Plantain) SEINet
Reference
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Description Life Zones and habitat: Plains and foothills (3500 to 6800 ft.); sandy, rocky soils in pastures, fields, roadsides and other open areas.
Plant: Erect perennial, 4 to 22 inches tall; rough, minute hairs on stem and foliage; 2 to 5 stems arising from base.
Leaves: Basal leaves petiolate, mostly smooth edges, hairless or somewhat hairy, narrowly-spatulate to oblong, to 3-1/2 inches long and up to 3/4-inch wide with blunt or rounded tips; stem leaves opposite, sessile and more lanceolate upward with small-toothed edges.
Inflorescence: Whorl-like clusters of pubescent-hairy, funnel-shaped flowers, each up to 3/4-inch long, with pointed sepals 1/4 to 1/3 inch long below; white to pale-lavender petals with prominent purplish veins, united at base with 3-lobed lower lip and somewhat smaller 2-lobed upper lobe; 4 dark-tipped stamens along upper side; staminode with yellow hairs.
Bloom Period: May to July.
References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Michael Eason, "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, American Penstemon Society and Minnesota Wildflowers.
BONAP Distribution Map


Map Color Key
Colorado Status:
Native

© Tom Lebsack 2024

Banner photo: Castilleja rhexifolia and a brewing storm over the San Juan Mountains