Penstemon azureus
{{Short description|Plant species in the plantain family}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Penstemon_azureus_in_Jardin_botanique_de_la_Charme_01.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| status = {{TNCStatus}}
| status_system = TNC
| status_ref = {{cite NatureServe |id=2.140548 |title=Penstemon azureus |access-date=16 November 2024}}
| genus = Penstemon
| species = azureus
| authority = Benth.
| subdivision_ranks = Varieties
| subdivision = {{Species list
| P. azureus var. angustissimus | A.Gray
| P. azureus var. azureus |
}}
| synonyms_ref = {{cite POWO |id=808007-1 |title=Penstemon azureus Benth. |access-date=26 October 2024}}
| synonyms = {{Species list
| Penstemon azureus subsp. typicus | D.D.Keck
| Penstemon heterophyllus var. azureus | (Benth.) Jeps.
}}
}}
Penstemon azureus is a flowering plant species known by the common name azure penstemon. It is native to the mountains of Oregon and northern California. It grows in coniferous forests and woodlands in the Klamath Mountains, North California Coast Ranges, Southern Cascade Range, and Northern Sierra Nevada.
Description
Penstemon azureus is a perennial plant that is a subshrub, a plant that is largely herbaceous, but is partly woody. It has many thin, hairless branches that are woody toward their base.{{Cite web |url=https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=36869 |title=Penstemon azureus |last1=Wetherwax |first1=Margriet |last2=Holmgren |first2=Noel H. |website=Jepson eFlora |publisher=University of California, Berkeley |access-date=27 October 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709002740/https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=36869 |archive-date=9 July 2024}} They are most often {{convert|13 to 50|cm|in|0|spell=us}} in height, but occasionally may reach {{cvt|70|cm|ft}}.{{Cite web |url=http://dev.floranorthamerica.org/Penstemon_azureus |title=Penstemon azureus |last1=Freeman |first1=Craig C. |date=29 July 2020 |orig-date=2019 |website=Flora of North America |page=231 |language=en |isbn=978-0190868512 |oclc=1101573420 |access-date=27 October 2024}}
The leaves of Penstemon azureus are blue-green in color. Plants have both basal leaves and cauline ones, those attached to the base of the plant directly and those attached to stems, but sometimes they will have almost no basal leaves. When present the basal leaves and those on the lower parts of the stems will be 15 to 60 millimeters long and usually 2 to 10 mm wide, though occasionally as wide as 20 mm. They also vary in shape and may be obovate, teardrop shaped with the widest part towards the tip, oblanceolate, like a reversed spear head, or linear, narrow like a blade of grass.
Each stem will have between three and twenty pairs of leaves attached to opposite sides of the stem. Those higher up on the plant tend to be widest at the base and clasp the stem. Leaves higher up the stem have a larger size range of size, they can be 10 to 90 millimeters long and 2 to 20 mm wide. The shape of these leaves may be elliptic, ovate, lanceolate, or linear.
The inflorescence produces three to ten verticillasters, groups of flower with pairs of bracts under the attachment points. Each of these groups has two attachment points with one to four buds or hairless tubular flowers. The buds are yellow in color. The mature flowers are usually blue, but may occasionally be lavender or violet. Each flower is 18–35 mm long.
Taxonomy
The scientific description and naming of Penstemon azureus was published by George Bentham in 1849. It has two accepted varieties.
=Names=
Penstemon azureus is known by the common names azure penstemon or azure beardtounge.{{cite book |last1=Wiese |first1=Karen |date=2013 |title=Sierra Nevada Wildflowers : A Field Guide to Common Wildflowers and Shrubs of the Sierra Nevada |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GU3BAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA46 |language=en |edition=Second |location=Guilford, Connecticut |publisher=FalconGuides |page=46 |isbn=978-0-7627-8034-1 |oclc=823741915 |access-date=5 February 2013}}
Range and habitat
The species is native to the US with the majority of its range in California and a smaller area in southern Oregon. In California it grows as far south as Tulare County.{{cite usda plants|symbol=PEAZ |title=Penstemon azureus |date=29 October 2024}} There it is native to the Sierra Nevada foothills and the high mountains. It grows northward to Cascade Range and also grows from the north coast of California up into the North Coast Ranges. In Oregon it is found in four counties, Curry, Josephine, Jackson, and Douglas.
The variety angustissimus grows in moist woodlands or forests at elevations of {{convert|300 to 700|m|ft|-1|spell=us}} in elevation.{{cite web |url=http://floranorthamerica.org/Penstemon_azureus_var._angustissimus |title=Penstemon azureus var. angustissimus |last1=Freeman |first1=Craig C. |date=29 July 2020 |orig-date=2019 |website=Flora of North America |page=231 |language=en |isbn=978-0190868512 |oclc=1101573420 |access-date=29 October 2024}} The variety azureus grows at higher elevations, {{cvt|500|m|ft|-1}} to as much as {{cvt|2500|m|ft|-1}}, and is associated with oak, pine, or juniper woodlands.{{cite web |url=http://floranorthamerica.org/Penstemon_azureus_var._azureus |title=Penstemon azureus var. azureus |last1=Freeman |first1=Craig C. |date=29 July 2020 |orig-date=2019 |website=Flora of North America |page=231 |language=en |isbn=978-0190868512 |oclc=1101573420 |access-date=29 October 2024}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{CalPhotos|Penstemon|azureus}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q10956267}}