Penstemon confertus Dougl. ex Lindl.
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Penstemon
 
Species Synonyms: none
Common Names: yellow penstemon
lesser yellow beard-tongue
yellow beard-tongue
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: south-central British Columbia – southern Alberta – southern Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan: southern Saskatchewan; Swift Current – Coronach
Ecoregion: Mixed Grassland, Moist Mixed Grassland
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: moist grassland depressions
Canada: meadows and open or wooded places at low to moderate elevations
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Endangered
Nature Conservancy Status:
G4 S1
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Yellow penstemon is endangered because of extreme rarity in Saskatchewan. This species is regionally restricted to southern Saskatchewan. Possible threats have been identified for this species.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 10 – 50 cm
Stems: slender, hairless, often forming small clumps
Leaves: opposite, 5 – 10 cm long, lower leaves inversely lance-shaped to linear, hairless, margin entire; upper leaves lance-shaped, margin entire
Inflorescence: unbranched, terminal, interrupted, flowers sessile
Flowers: sepals 5 mm long, 5-lobed, lobes tapered to a long point, margin dry and membranous; petals 1 cm long, tubular, 2-lipped, lower lip equalling or longer than upper, yellow; stamens 4, in two groups of two, filaments arched; sterile stamen thread-like, as long as fertile stamens, narrowly spatula-shaped, bearded; stigma head-like
Fruits: capsule ovoid, many seeded
 
PENSTEMON KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
1 Flowers white or yellow
2
1 Flowers bluish or purple
3
   
2 Petals yellow; inflorescence not glandular
P. confertus
2 Petals white with fine purple markings; inflorescence glandular
P. albidus
   
3 Flowers to about 12 mm long, in dense spikes or nodal clusters
P. procerus var. procerus
3 Flowers longer than 15 mm, in loose spikes or flowers solitary in leaf axils
4
 
4 Flowers blue; leaves with a waxy coating; plants hairless
P. nitidus var. nitidus
4 Flowers purplish; leaves without a waxy coating; plants generally glandular in the inflorescence
P. gracilis var. gracilis