[Beardtongues and Penstemons; The Genus Penstemon in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon

Penstemon subserratus

Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus

This photo shows a close-up of the flower of fine-toothed penstemon as seen along forest road #6808 to the south of Grassy Knoll in the Gifford Pinchot N.F.........May 24, 2007.
Characteristics:

1. Fine-toothed Penstemon is very similar in appearance to Penstemon wilcoxii. However, the former is found in the Cascades, while the latter is found in northeastern Oregon and into central Idaho.

2. It is an upright species of penstemon, with one to several slender stems rising from 30 cm to 80 cm.

3. The basal leaves are up to 20 mm long, entire to irregularly serrate, with a glabrous to finely hairy or glandular surface. The stem leaves are much larger, opposite, and lanceolate in shape. The stem leaves may be clasping at the inflorescence, or sessile (without petiole) lower on the stem. The stem leaves are also finely toothed.

4. This wildflower has three to ten widely separated verticilasters (clusters) of flowers, with two to four flowers per cluster. The corolla is a bright blue. The throat may be paler with a beard of yellowish hairs. The flowers are strongly two-lipped, and the tube expands somewhat towards the mouth.

Habitat:

Fine-toothed penstemon inhabits open woods and clearings.

Range:

Fine-toothed penstemon is found in the Cascade Mountains from the Methow Valley south to just the northern fringe of the Oregon Cascades.

- Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus

Anthers of Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus - Stem leaves of Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus

These 4 photos show close-up details of the flowers and stem leaves of fine-toothed penstemon as seen along forest road #6808 to the south of Grassy Knoll in the Gifford Pinchot N.F........May 24, 2007.

Habitat of Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus - Inflorescence of Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus - Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus

The photo at left shows a habitat view of fine-toothed penstemon on a gravelly slope atop Observation Peak with Mount Adams in the distance, Trapper Creek Wilderness.....June 25, 2024. The photos at center and at right show fine-toothed penstemon as seen along forest road #6808 to the south of Grassy Knoll in the Gifford Pinchot N.F........May 24, 2007.

Flowers of Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus - Inflorescence of Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus - Flowers of Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus

Fine-tooth penstemon observed along the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 at a bald about two-thirds of a mile west of the summit of Big Huckleberry Mountain, Gifford Pinchot National Forest.....June 23, 2024.

Fine-toothed Beardtongue, Fine-toothed Penstemon, Subserrate Penstemon: Penstemon subserratus

Fine-tooth penstemon blooming on rock outcrops along the Surveyor's Ridge Trail #688 about one mile northwest of the Gibson Prairie Horse Camp, Mount Hood National Forest.....June 11, 2024.
Paul Slichter