beardtongues

genus Penstemon

Member of plantain family (family Plantaginaceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

Except for extremely rare examples that I don't expect to encounter, there are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

bunchleaf penstemon
Penstemon heterophyllus

bunchleaf penstemon
Penstemon heterophyllus

anther sacs 2.2–3 mm, dehiscing at proximal end to ½–⅔ their length, inner margins long-hairy

for all others, anther sacs dehiscing full length, generally spreading widely apart; anthers glabrous

inflorescence ± glabrous
corolla 23–40 mm
staminode glabrous
common

scarlet bugler
Penstemon centranthifolius

inflorescence glabrous
flower red

all others purple-shaded

staminode glabrous
leaf thick, entire
uncommon

inflorescence (excluding corolla) glandular
staminode hairy

sierra beardtongue
Penstemon heterodoxus var. heterodoxus

inflorescence glandular
corolla 10–16 mm
staminode moderately yellow-hairy
leaf entire, sometimes folded lengthwise
extremely rare on Mt. Diablo

rattan’s beardtongue
Penstemon rattanii

inflorescence glandular
corolla 20–30 mm
staminode yellow-hairy
leaf thin, shallowly toothed
uncommon in the Santa Cruz range

grinnell’s beardtongue
Penstemon grinnellii var. scrophularioides

inflorescence glandular-hairy
corolla 26–35 mm
staminode exserted, densely yellow- or golden-hairy
leaf thick, generally folded lengthwise and arching, at least partially dentate
very rare

1 observed taxon / 4 unobserved taxons / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 2 (all are research grade)

Locations:

Henry Coe SP
Joseph D. Grant CP

Months:

May: 1
Jun.: 1

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Taxon info: iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora – FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora