Palmer's penstemon
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| Penstemon palmeri Gray |
Palmer's Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) is a penstemon notable for its showy, rounded, light-pink flowers. The plant is named after Edward Palmer.
[edit] Description
The description for this plant is taken from the Jepson manual treatment online. Leaves are generally opposite, the margins are entire to toothed with the upper leaves sessile. Inflorescence is in a panicle or raceme with bracts generally small. Flower calyx lobes 5, ± equal; corolla tube ± cylindric or lower side expanded, ± 2-lipped, generally pink or blue to purple (some red, yellow, or white), upper lip 2-lobed, external in bud; anther sacs 2, generally spreading ± flat at dehiscence; staminode attached near base of corolla tube, well developed, generally hairy on upper side; nectaries 2, at bases of upper stamens; stigma head-like. Fruit is a capsule, septicidal and sometimes also loculicidal at tip.
[edit] Varieties
- Penstemon palmeri var. eglandulosus
- P. palmeri var. macranthus
- P. palmeri var. palmeri
[edit] Distribution and habitat
This showy flower is sometimes called the balloon flower because of its bulbous throat which accommodates its pollinators which are typically bumble bees. It is found native to desert mountains from eastern Mojave to Utah and in New Mexico, therefore it is drought tolerant and prefers more drier soils. The plant grows in washes, roadsides, canyon floors, creosote scrub, and juniper woodlands, from 1100–2300 meters.
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