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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE FIGWORT FAMILY | ||
| The figwort family is very common in Saskatchewan. The leaves are usually opposite, though they may be alternate, whorled, or all basal. The leaf margin may be entire to pinnately or palmately lobed. The flowers are irregular and are commonly 2-lipped. The upper lip usually has two lobes and the lower lip three lobes. Each flower has two or four stamens. If four stamens are present, they are in two groups of two and are usually attached to the petals. The sepals and the petals are commonly fused together. In some species, large, brightly-coloured bracts hide the flowers. The fruit is a many-seeded capsule. | ||
| YELLOW PENSTEMON | ||
| LATIN NAME: Penstemon confertus | ||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | ||
| Yellow penstemon grows as tall as 50 cm. The leaves are opposite and are between 5 and 10 cm long. The petals are 2-lipped with the lower petal equalling or longer than the upper petal. The petals are yellow. The stamens are in two groups of two and the filaments are arched. The sterile stamen is thread-like or narrowly spatula-shaped. The fruit is a many-seeded capsule. | ||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | ||
| Yellow penstemon grows in moist grassland depressions and wooded areas. | ||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | ||
| This plant is found in southern Saskatchewan in the Mixed Grassland and Moist Mixed Grassland ecoregions. | ||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | ||
| 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. | ||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY YELLOW PENSTEMON | ||
| * Are the leaves opposite? * Are the petals yellow? * Is a sterile stamen present? * Did you find it in southern Saskatchewan? |
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If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found yellow penstemon! |
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