[Beardtongues and Penstemons: The Genus Penstemon East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Lesser Yellow Beardtongue, Lesser Yellow Penstemon, Yellow Penstemon

Penstemon confertus

Lesser Yellow Beardtongue, Lesser Yellow Penstemon, Yellow Penstemon: Penstemon confertus - Lesser Yellow Beardtongue, Lesser Yellow Penstemon, Yellow Penstemon: Penstemon confertus - Inflorescence of Lesser Yellow Beardtongue, Lesser Yellow Penstemon, Yellow Penstemon: Penstemon confertus

Yellow penstemon blooming along the Eagle Trail at Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve, Spokane County, WA.........June 24, 2022.

Lesser Yellow Beardtongue, Lesser Yellow Penstemon, Yellow Penstemon: Penstemon confertusThe photo at right shows yellow penstemon as seen from Table Mt, near forest roads 2100 & 2008, Wenatchee N.F.....July 25, 1996.

Characteristics:

Yellow penstemon is sometimes known as scorched penstemon. This fine penstemon with minute yellow flowers is closely related to Penstemon procerus. It is typically a plant with one to several stems arising to a height of 50 cm from a mat of narrow-leaved stems. The stems and leaves are typically glabrous or may be finely pubescent. The leaves are thin, bright green and entire-margined. The basal leaves range in length from 3 to 15 cm, and are elliptical, tapering to short petioles. The stems leaves are smaller (to 10 cm long), and lanceolate with sessile or clasping bases. All the leaves are glabrous.

The inflorescence is narrow, with two to ten many-flowered clusters encircling the stem. The clusters are more widely spaced below, more tightly spaced above. The corollas are a cream color to sulphury yellow. The tubes are narrow and expand only slightly. The corollas are distinctly two-lipped and range in length from 4 to 12 mm. The anthers are opposite, glabrous and purple outside, with the sacs splitting fully. The staminode is bearded with a tuft of yellow hairs at its expanded tip. It is generally found within the mouth of the tube.

Habitat:

Yellow penstemon is found from lowland meadows and forests to subalpine areas.

Range:

Yellow penstemon is found from southeastern British Columbia south through northern Idaho, western Montana, central and eastern Washington, and northeastern Oregon.

Inflorescence of Lesser Yellow Beardtongue, Lesser Yellow Penstemon, Yellow Penstemon: Penstemon confertus - Lesser Yellow Beardtongue, Lesser Yellow Penstemon, Yellow Penstemon: Penstemon confertus

Yellow penstemon blooming along the Colockum Pass Road about three miles north of Colockum Pass, Wenatchee Mountains...........July 7, 2012.

Lesser Yellow Beardtongue, Lesser Yellow Penstemon, Yellow Penstemon: Penstemon confertus

The photo above shows the inflorescence of yellow penstemon as seen from Table Rock, near the intersection of forest roads 2100 & 2008, Wenatchee N.F.........July 25, 1996.

 

Paul Slichter