Scientific Name | Penstemon palmeri var. palmeri | USDA PLANTS Symbol | PEPAP9 |
Common Name | Palmer's Penstemon | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 33739 |
Family | Plantaginaceae (Plantain) | SEINet Reference |
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Description |
Life zones and habitat: Foothills (6000 to 7700 ft); sandy soils along roadsides. Plant: Erect perennial with solitary or few stems 17 to 55 inches tall. Leaves: Basal and lower stem leaves large (2-3/8 to 4 inches long and 1/2 to 1-1/4 inches wide) and oblong to ovate; mid-stem leaves smaller and ovate; dentate or smooth margins; stem leaves opposite and connate-perfoliate. Inflorescence: Flowers in 5 to 10 crowded cymes clustered along stem, tending to be on one side; each cluster with 2 to 5 flowers; flowers with 5-lobed corolla about 3/4-inch long, mostly light pink or white with a few purple lines on the lower lobes; lower lobes smooth or somewhat hairy internally; staminode (unfertile stamen in center of blossom) slightly protruding, tip hooked and densely bearded with long, pale brownish yellow hairs. Bloom Period: June to August. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, SEINet, Flora of North America and American Southwest. Note: The plant in some of the photos above was found along a roadside in Breckenridge, CO, at an elevation of 9600 ft., well above the expected range, and the plant was barely 16 inches tall, at the lower limit of its expected height. |
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