Penstemon

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Beard-tongue

Balloon Flower (Penstemon palmeri)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Plantaginaceae
Genus:	Penstemon Mitch.

Species

See text.

Penstemon confertus

Golden-beard Penstemon (Penstemon barbatus)

Penstemon bridgesii

Lowbush Penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus)

Talus Slope Penstemon (Penstemon digitalis)

Pineneedle Beardtongue (Penstemon pinifolius)

Prairie-clover (Penstemon speciosus)

Penstemon hirsutus pubescens

Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus)

Bellflower Beardtongue (Penstemon campanulatus)

Lilac Penstemon (Penstemon gracilis)

Serrulate Penstemon (Penstemon serrulatus)

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.

They have opposite leaves, partly tube-shaped and two-lipped flowers and seed capsules. The most distinctive feature of the genus is the prominent staminode, an infertile stamen. The staminode takes a variety of forms in the different species; while typically a long straight filament extending to the mouth of the corolla, some are longer and extremely hairy, giving the general appearance of an open mouth with a fuzzy tongue protruding and inspiring the common name beardtongue.

Most penstemons are herbaceous perennials, the remainder being shrubs or subshrubs. Heights can range from 10 cm to as much as 3 meters.

The one Asiatic species previously treated in Penstemon is now placed in a separate genus Pennellianthus. This leaves Penstemon a mostly Nearctic genus, with a few Neotropical species. Although widespread across North America, and found in habitats ranging from open desert to moist forests, and up to the alpine zone, they are not typically common within their range.

1 History
2 Horticulture
3 Species
4 References

[edit] History

Native Americans long used penstemon roots to relieve tootache. John Mitchell published the first scientific description in 1748; although he only named it as Penstemon, we can identify it as P. laevigatus. Linnaeus then included it in his 1753 publication, as Chelone pentstemon, altering the spelling to better correspond to the notion that the name referred to the unusual fifth stamen (Greek "penta-", five). Mitchell's work was reprinted in 1769, continuing with his original spelling, and this was ultimately accepted as the official form, although Pentstemon continued in use into the 20th century.

Although several more species were found in the 18th century, they continued to be classified in Chelone until about the 1820s. The period of 1810 to 1850 increased the number of known species from 4 to 63, as expeditions travelled through Mexico and the western United States, followed by another 100 up to 1900.

During this time, seeds began to be offered for sale in Europe, the earliest known dating from 1813, with John Fraser offering four species in London, followed by Flanagan & Nutting offering nine species in their 1835 catalog. Subsequently many hybrids were developed in Europe.

Fieldwork in the remote parts of the Great Basin during the 20th century brought the total number of species known to over 250. The genus was extensively revised by David Keck between 1932 and 1957; in 1946 the American Penstemon Society was formed to promote both horticultural and botanical interest.

[edit] Horticulture

Despite being among the most attractive native flowers of North America, Europe has always been far more active in the development of penstemon cultivation, and hundreds of hybrids have been developed since the early 1800s. The earliest development is somewhat shrouded in mystery; for instance Flanagan & Nutting's 1835 catalog mentions a 'Penstemon Hybridum' but does not describe it.

By 1860, a half-dozen French growers are known to have developed hybrids, most notably Victor Lemoine, while in 1857 the German Wilhelm Pfitzer listed 24 varieties. In 1861 the Royal Horticultural Society held trials in which 78 varieties were entered. The Scottish firm of John Forbes first offered penstemons in 1870, eventually becoming the biggest grower in the world; in 1884 their catalog listed 180 varieties. By 1900 Forbes had offered 550 varieties, while Lemoine had developed nearly 470 by the time of his death in 1911. Few of these have survived to the present day.

A number of different species have been used in the hybridization process, notably P. cobaeus and P. hartwegii.

In North America, penstemon species are often used in Xeriscape^TM landscaping, as many are native to desert or alpine regions and thus quite hardy.

[edit] Species

Penstemon abietinus Pennell Firleaf beardtongue
Penstemon absarokensis Evert Absaroka Range beardtongue
Penstemon acaulis L.O. Williams Stemless beardtongue
Penstemon acuminatus Dougl. ex Lindl. Sharpleaf penstemon
Penstemon alamosensis Pennell & Nisbet Los Alamos beardtongue
Penstemon albertinus Greene Alberta beardtongue
Penstemon albidus Nutt. White penstemon
Penstemon albomarginalis M. E. Jones
Penstemon albomarginatus M.E. Jones White margin penstemon, whitemargin beardtongue, whitemargin penstemon
Penstemon alluviorum Pennell lowland beardtongue
Penstemon ambiguus Torr. bush penstemon, gilia beardtongue, gilia penstemon
Penstemon ammophilus N. Holmgren & L. Shultz sandloving penstemon
Penstemon anguineus Eastw. Siskiyou beardtongue
Penstemon angustifolius Nutt. ex Pursh broad-beard beardtongue , broadbeard beardtongue , narrowleaf penstemon
Penstemon arenarius Greene Nevada sanddune beardtongue , sanddune penstemon
Penstemon arenicola A. Nels. sand penstemon
Penstemon aridus Rydb. stiffleaf penstemon
Penstemon arkansanus Pennell Arkansas beardtongue
Penstemon attenuatus Dougl. ex Lindl. sulphur penstemon
Penstemon atwoodii Welsh Kaiparowits beardtongue
Penstemon auriberbis Pennell Colorado beardtongue
Penstemon australis Small Eustis Lake beardtongue
Penstemon azureus Benth. azure penstemon
Penstemon baccharifolius Hook. baccharisleaf beardtongue
Penstemon barbatus (Cav.) Roth Golden-beard Penstemon , or Beardlip penstemon
Penstemon barnebyi N. Holmgren Barneby's penstemon , White River Valley beardtongue
Penstemon barrettiae Gray Barrett's beardtongue
Penstemon bicolor (Brandeg.) Clokey & Keck pinto beardtongue , pinto penstemon
Penstemon bracteatus Keck Red Canyon beardtongue
Penstemon breviculus (Keck) Nisbet & R.C. Jackson shortstem beardtongue , shortstem penstemon
Penstemon bryantiae Keck Bryant's beardtongue
Penstemon buckleyi Pennell buckley penstemon , Buckley's beardtongue
Penstemon caesius Gray San Bernardino beardtongue
Penstemon caespitosus Nutt. ex Gray mat penstemon
Penstemon calcareus Brandeg. limestone beardtongue
Penstemon californicus (Munz & Johnston) Keck California penstemon
Penstemon calycosus Small longsepal beardtongue
Penstemon campanulatus (Cav.) Willd. bellflower beardtongue
Penstemon canescens (Britt.) Britt. eastern gray beardtongue
Penstemon cardinalis Woot. & Standl. cardinal beardtongue
Penstemon cardwellii T.J. Howell Cardwell's beardtongue
Penstemon carnosus Pennell fleshy beardtongue
Penstemon caryi Pennell Cary's beardtongue
Penstemon centranthifolius Benth. scarlet bugler
Penstemon cinicola Keck ash penstemon
Penstemon cleavelandii Gray
Penstemon clevelandii Gray Cleveland's beardtongue
Penstemon clutei A. Nels. Sunset Crater beardtongue , Sunset Crater penstemon
Penstemon cobaea Nutt. cobaea beardtongue , Cobaea penstemon
Penstemon comarrhenus Gray dusty beardtongue , dusty penstemon
Penstemon compactus (Keck) Crosswhite compact penstemon
Penstemon concinnus Keck Tunnel Springs beardtongue , Tunnel Springs penstemon
Penstemon confertus Dougl. ex Lindl. yellow penstemon
Penstemon confusus M.E. Jones Owens Valley beardtongue , Owens Valley penstemon
Penstemon crandallii A. Nels. Crandall's beardtongue
Penstemon crideri A. Nels. (pro sp.) Crider penstemon , Crider's penstemon
Penstemon cusickii Gray Cusick's beardtongue
Penstemon cyananthus Hook. Wasatch beardtongue
Penstemon cyaneus Pennell blue penstemon
Penstemon cyanocaulis Payson bluestem beardtongue
Penstemon cyathophorus Rydb. Northpark penstemon , sagebrush beardtongue
Penstemon dasyphyllus Gray Cochise beardtongue , purple penstemon
Penstemon davidsonii Greene Davidson's penstemon , timberline penstemon
Penstemon deamii Pennell Deam's beardtongue
Penstemon deaveri Crosswhite Mt. Graham beardtongue
Penstemon debilis O'Kane & J. Anderson Parachute beardtongue
Penstemon degeneri Crosswhite Degener's beardtongue
Penstemon deustus Dougl. ex Lindl. scabland penstemon
Penstemon digitalis Nutt. ex Sims talus slope penstemon
Penstemon diphyllus Rydb. twoleaf beardtongue
Penstemon discolor Keck Cataiina beardtongue
Penstemon dissectus Ell. dissected beardtongue
Penstemon distans N. Holmgren Mt. Tumbull beardtongue
Penstemon dolius M.E. Jones ex Pennell Jone's penstemon , Jones' beardtongue
Penstemon dubius A. Davids. (pro sp.) dubius penstemon
Penstemon eatonii Gray Eaton penstemon , Eaton's penstemon
Penstemon elegantulus Pennell rockvine penstemon
Penstemon ellipticus Coult. & Fisher rocky ledge penstemon
Penstemon eriantherus Pursh fuzzytongue penstemon
Penstemon euglaucus English glaucous beardtongue
Penstemon eximius Keck unusual beardtongue
Penstemon fendleri Torr. & Gray fendler penstemon , Fendler's beardtongue , Fendler's penstemon
Penstemon filiformis (Keck) Keck threadleaf beardtongue
Penstemon flavescens Pennell high mountain penstemon
Penstemon floribundus D. Danley Cordillia's beardtongue , Cordillia's penstemon
Penstemon floridus Brandeg. Panamint beardtongue , Panamint penstemon
Penstemon flowersii Neese & Welsh Flowers' beardtongue
Penstemon franklinii Welsh Franklin's penstemon
Penstemon fremontii Torr. & Gray ex Gray Fremont penstemon , Fremont's beardtongue
Penstemon fruticiformis Coville Death Valley beardtongue , Death Valley penstemon
Penstemon fruticosus (Pursh) Greene bush penstemon
Penstemon gairdneri Hook. Gairdner's beardtongue
Penstemon gibbensii Dorn Gibbens' beardtongue
Penstemon glaber Pursh sawsepal penstemon , western smooth beardtongue
Penstemon glandulosus Dougl. stickystem penstemon
Penstemon glaucinus Pennell blueleaf beardtongue
Penstemon globosus (Piper) Pennell & Keck globe penstemon
Penstemon goodrichii N. Holmgren Lapoint beardtongue
Penstemon gormanii Greene Gorman's beardtongue
Penstemon gracilentus Gray slender penstemon
Penstemon gracilis Nutt. lilac penstemon , slender penstemon
Penstemon grahamii Keck Uinta Basin beardtongue
Penstemon grandiflorus Nutt. large beardtongue , largeflowered penstemon
Penstemon griffinii A. Nels. Griffin's beardtongue
Penstemon grinnellii Eastw. Grinnell's beardtongue
Penstemon guadalupensis Heller Guadalupe beardtongue
Penstemon hallii Gray Hall's beardtongue
Penstemon harbourii Gray Harbour's beardtongue
Penstemon harringtoni Penl.
Penstemon harringtonii Penl. Harrington's beardtongue
Penstemon hartwegii Benth. Hartweg's beardtongue
Penstemon harvardii Gray
Penstemon havardii Gray Big Bend beardtongue
Penstemon haydenii S. Wats. blowout beardtongue , blowout penstemon
Penstemon heterodoxus Gray Sierra beardtongue , Sierra penstemon
Penstemon heterophyllus Lindl. bunchleaf penstemon
Penstemon hirsutus (L.) Willd. hairy beardtongue
Penstemon humilis Nutt. ex Gray low beardtongue , low penstemon
Penstemon idahoensis Atwood & Welsh Idaho beardtongue
Penstemon immanifestus N. Holmgren Steptoe Valley beardtongue , Steptoe Valley penstemon
Penstemon incertus Brandeg. Mojave beardtongue
Penstemon inflatus Crosswhite inflated beardtongue
Penstemon jamesii Benth. James penstemon , James' beardtongue
Penstemon janishiae N. Holmgren Antelope Valley beardtongue , Janish's penstemon
Penstemon jonesi Pennell
Penstemon jonesii Pennell (pro sp.) Jones' penstemon
Penstemon kingii S. Wats. King's beardtongue , King's penstemon
Penstemon labrosus (Gray) Hook. f. San Gabriel beardtongue
Penstemon laetus Gray mountain blue penstemon
Penstemon laevigatus Ait. eastern smooth beardtongue
Penstemon laevis Pennell southwestern beardtongue , southwestern penstemon
Penstemon laricifolius Hook. & Arn. larchleaf beardtongue
Penstemon laxiflorus Pennell nodding beardtongue
Penstemon laxus A. Nels. tufted penstemon
Penstemon leiophyllus Pennell smoothleaf beardtongue , smoothleaf penstemon
Penstemon lemhiensis (Keck) Keck & Cronq. Lemhi penstemon
Penstemon lentus Pennell handsome beardtongue , handsome penstemon
Penstemon leonardii Rydb. Leonard's beardtongue , Leonard's penstemon
Penstemon leptanthus Pennell Sevier Plateau beardtongue
Penstemon linarioides Gray creeping penstemon , toadflax penstemon
Penstemon longiflorus (Pennell) S.L. Clark longflower penstemon
Penstemon lyallii (Gray) Gray Lyall's beardtongue
Penstemon marcusii (Keck) N. Holmgren Marcus' beardtongue
Penstemon mensarum Pennell tiger beardtongue
Penstemon mirus A. Nels. (pro sp.) bush penstemon , penstemon
Penstemon miser Gray Malheur penstemon
Penstemon moffatii Eastw. Moffatt's beardtongue
Penstemon monoensis Heller Mono penstemon
Penstemon montanus Greene cordroot beardtongue
Penstemon moriahensis N. Holmgren Mount Moriah penstemon , Mt. Moriah beardtongue
Penstemon multiflorus Chapman ex Benth. manyflower beardtongue
Penstemon murcronatus N. Holmgr.
Penstemon murrayanus Hook. scarlet beardtongue
Penstemon nanus Keck dwarf beardtongue
Penstemon navajoa N. Holmgren Navajo Mountain beardtongue
Penstemon neomexicanus Woot. & Standl. New Mexico beardtongue
Penstemon neotericus Keck Plumas County beardtongue
Penstemon newberryi Gray mountain pride , pride-of-the-mountains
Penstemon nitidus Dougl. ex Benth. waxleaf penstemon
Penstemon nudiflorus Gray Flagstaff beardtongue
Penstemon oklahomensis Pennell Oklahoma beardtongue , Oklahoma penstemon
Penstemon oliganthus Woot. & Standl. Apache beardtongue
Penstemon ophianthus Pennell Arizona beardtongue , coiled anther penstemon
Penstemon osterhoutii Pennell Osterhout's beardtongue
Penstemon ovatus Dougl. ex Hook. eggleaf beardtongue
Penstemon pachyphyllus Gray ex Rydb. thickleaf beardtongue , thickleaf penstemon
Penstemon pahutensis N. Holmgren Pahute penstemon , Paiute beardtongue
Penstemon pallidus Small pale beardtongue
Penstemon palmeri Gray Palmer's penstemon , Palmer penstemon
Penstemon papillatus J.T. Howell Inyo beardtongue
Penstemon parishii Gray (pro sp.) Parish's penstemon
Penstemon parryi (Gray) Gray Parry penstemon , Parry's beardtongue
Penstemon parviflorus Pennell Montezuma County beardtongue
Penstemon parvus Pennell Aquarius Plateau beardtongue
Penstemon patens (M.E. Jones) N. Holmgren Lone Pine beardtongue , Lone Pine penstemon
Penstemon payettensis A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr. Payette beardtongue
Penstemon paysoniorum Keck Payson's beardtongue
Penstemon peckii Pennell Peck's beardtongue
Penstemon peirsonii Munz & I.M. Johnston (pro sp.) Peirson's penstemon
Penstemon penlandii W.A. Weber penland beardtongue , Penland's beardtongue
Penstemon pennellianus Keck Blue Mountain beardtongue
Penstemon perpulcher A. Nels. Minidoka beardtongue
Penstemon personatus Keck closethroat beardtongue
Penstemon petiolatus Brandeg. lime penstemon , petiolate beardtongue
Penstemon pinifolius Greene pineneedle beardtongue , pineneedle penstemon
Penstemon pinorum L.& J. Shultz Pine Valley penstemon
Penstemon platyphyllus Rydb. broadleaf beardtongue , broadleaf penstemon
Penstemon pratensis Greene western whiteflower beardtongue , western whiteflower penstemon
Penstemon procerus Dougl. ex Graham littleflower penstemon , pincushion beardtongue
Penstemon pruinosus Dougl. ex Lindl. Chilean beardtongue
Penstemon pseudoparvus Crosswhite Mt. Washington beardtongue, San Mateo penstemon
Penstemon pseudoputus (Crosswhite) N. Holmgren Kaibab Plateau beardtongue
Penstemon pseudospectabilis M.E. Jones desert penstemon
Penstemon pudicus Reveal & Beatley bashful penstemon , Kawich Range beardtongue
Penstemon pumilus Nutt. Salmon River beardtongue
Penstemon purpusii Brandeg. Snow Mountain beardtongue
Penstemon putus A. Nels. Black River beardtongue
Penstemon radicosus A. Nels. matroot penstemon
Penstemon ramosus Crosswhite lanceleaf beardtongue , lanceleaf penstemon
Penstemon rattanii Gray Rattan's beardtongue
Penstemon retrorsus Payson ex Pennell Adobe Hills beardtongue
Penstemon retrosus Payson Ex Pennell
Penstemon rhizomatosus N. Holmgren
Penstemon richardsonii Dougl. ex Lindl. cutleaf beardtongue
Penstemon roezlii Regel Roezl's penstemon
Penstemon rostriflorus Kellogg beaked beardtongue , beakflower penstemon , Bridge penstemon
Penstemon rubicundus Keck Wassuck penstemon, Wassuk Range beardtongue
Penstemon rupicola (Piper) T.J. Howell cliff beardtongue
Penstemon rydbergii A. Nels. meadow beardtongue, Rydberg penstemon, Rydberg's penstemon
Penstemon saxosorum Pennell upland beardtongue
Penstemon scapoides Keck pinyon beardtongue
Penstemon scariosus Pennell White River beardtongue
Penstemon secundiflorus Benth. sidebells penstemon
Penstemon seorsus (A. Nels.) Keck shortlobe penstemon
Penstemon sepalulus A. Nels. littlecup beardtongue
Penstemon serrulatus Menzies ex Sm. serrulate penstemon
Penstemon smallii Heller Small's beardtongue
Penstemon spatulatus Pennell Wallowa beardtongue
Penstemon speciosus Dougl. ex Lindl. prairie-clover, royal penstemon
Penstemon spectabilis Thurb. ex Gray showy penstemon
Penstemon stenophyllus (Gray) T.J. Howell Sonoran beardtongue
Penstemon stephensii Brandeg. Stephens' penstemon
Penstemon strictiformis Rydb. Mancos penstemon, stiff penstemon
Penstemon strictus Benth. Rocky Mountain beardtongue, Rocky Mountain penstemon
Penstemon subglaber Rydb. smooth penstemon
Penstemon subserratus Pennell finetooth beardtongue
Penstemon subulatus M.E. Jones hackberry beardtongue
Penstemon sudans M.E. Jones Susanville beardtongue, Susanville penstemon
Penstemon superbus A. Nels. superb beardtongue
Penstemon tenuiflorus Pennell eastern whiteflower beardtongue
Penstemon tenuis Small sharpsepal beardtongue
Penstemon teucrioides Greene germander beardtongue
Penstemon thompsoniae (Gray) Rydb. Thompson's penstemon, Thompson's beardtongue, Thompson penstemon
Penstemon thurberi Torr. Thurber's penstemon, Thurber penstemon
Penstemon tidestromii Pennell Tidestrom's beardtongue
Penstemon tiehmii N. Holmgren Tiehm's beardtongue
Penstemon tracyi Keck Trinity penstemon
Penstemon triflorus Heller Heller's beardtongue
Penstemon triphyllus Dougl. ex Lindl. Riggin's penstemon
Penstemon tubiflorus Nutt. white wand beardtongue
Penstemon tusharensis N. Holmgren Tushar Range beardtongue
Penstemon uintahensis Pennell Uinta Mountain beardtongue
Penstemon unilateralis Rydb. oneside penstemon
Penstemon utahensis Eastw. Utah penstemon
Penstemon venustus Dougl. ex Lindl. Venus penstemon
Penstemon virens Pennell ex Rydb. Front Range beardtongue
Penstemon virgatus Gray upright blue beardtongue
Penstemon wardii Gray Ward's beardtongue
Penstemon washingtonensis Keck Washington beardtongue
Penstemon watsonii Gray Watson's penstemon, Watson's beardtongue, Watson penstemon
Penstemon whippleanus Gray dark beardtongue, Whipple's penstemon
Penstemon wilcoxii Rydb. Wilcox's penstemon
Penstemon wrightii Hook. Wright's beardtongue
Penstemon yampaensis Penl. Yampa beardtongue