Penstemon incertus
Encyclopedia
Penstemon incertus is a species of penstemon
known by the common name Mojave beardtongue. It is endemic to California
, where it can be found in many of the southeastern mountain ranges, including the southern reaches of the Sierra Nevada, the Tehachapis
, and the mountains of the Mojave Desert
region. It is a member of the flora in scrub and woodland, among Joshua Trees and in sandy washes
.
It is a rounded, branching, erect shrub
reaching one meter in maximum height. The thick leaves are linear to lance-shaped with rolled, untoothed edges and reaching up to 7 centimeters. The glandular inflorescence
produces several wide-mouthed tubular or funnel-shaped flowers measuring 2 to 3 centimeters long. The flowers are blue-purple, glandular on the outer surface and mostly hairless inside except for the hairy staminode
.
Penstemon
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...
known by the common name Mojave beardtongue. It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it can be found in many of the southeastern mountain ranges, including the southern reaches of the Sierra Nevada, the Tehachapis
Tehachapi Mountains
The Tehachapi Mountains , regionally also called The Tehachapis, are a mountain range in the Transverse Ranges system of California in the Western United States...
, and the mountains of the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
region. It is a member of the flora in scrub and woodland, among Joshua Trees and in sandy washes
Arroyo (creek)
An arroyo , a Spanish word translated as brook, and also called a wash is usually a dry creek or stream bed—gulch that temporarily or seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain. Wadi is a similar term in Africa. In Spain, a rambla has a similar meaning to arroyo.-Types and processes:Arroyos...
.
It is a rounded, branching, erect shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
reaching one meter in maximum height. The thick leaves are linear to lance-shaped with rolled, untoothed edges and reaching up to 7 centimeters. The glandular inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
produces several wide-mouthed tubular or funnel-shaped flowers measuring 2 to 3 centimeters long. The flowers are blue-purple, glandular on the outer surface and mostly hairless inside except for the hairy staminode
Staminode
In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen. This means that it does not produce pollen. Staminodes are frequently inconspicuous and stamen-like, usually occurring at the inner whorl of the flower, but are also sometimes long enough to protrude from the...
.