Species: Penstemon confertus Dougl. ex Lindl.

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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

Penstemon confertus 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, glabrous, often forming small clumps

Leaves:

opposite, 5 – 10 cm long, lower leaves oblanceolate to linear, glabrous, margin entire; upper leaves lanceolate, margin entire

Inflorescence:

raceme terminal, interrupted

Flowers:

calyx 5 mm long, 5-lobed, lobes acuminate, margin scarious; corolla 1 cm long, tubular, bilabiate, lower lip equalling or longer than upper, yellow; stamens 4, didynamous, filaments arched; staminode filiform, as long as fertile stamens, narrowly spatulate, bearded; stigma capitate

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 Corolla yellow; inflorescence not glandular	P. confertus
2 Corolla 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 glaucous; plants glabrous	P. nitidus var. nitidus
4 Flowers purplish; leaves not glaucous; plants generally glandular in the inflorescence	P. gracilis var. gracilis