Penstemon palmeri

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Lamiales

Familia: Plantaginaceae
Tribus: Cheloneae
Genus: Penstemon
Subgenus: P. subg. Penstemon
Section: P. sect. Peltanthera

Subsection: P. subsect. Peltanthera

Species: Penstemon palmeri
Varieties: P. p. var. macranthus
Name

Penstemon palmeri A.Gray
Synonyms

Penstemon palmeri var. palmeri

References

Gray, A., Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Boston, MA 7:379. 1868

Links

International Plant Names Index. 2017. Penstemon palmeri. Published online. Accessed: Nov. 01 2017.
The Plant List 2013. Penstemon palmeri in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2017 Nov. 01.
Tropicos.org 2017. Penstemon palmeri. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 01 Nov. 2017.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Penstemon palmeri in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 09-Oct-10.

Vernacular names
English: Palmer's Penstemon
suomi: Tuoksupipo

Penstemon palmeri, known by the common name Palmer's penstemon, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the genus Penstemon that is notable for its showy, rounded flowers, and for being one of the few scented penstemons.[1][2] The plant, in the family Plantaginaceae, is named after the botanist Edward Palmer.

Distribution

Penstemon palmeri is native to desert mountains from the eastern Mojave Desert in California, to eastern Nevada, northeastern Arizona, and New Mexico, and north through areas in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and eastern Washington.[1]

Penstemon palmeri is a drought-tolerant perennial plant, preferring well draining drier soils. It grows in washes and bajadas, roadsides, canyon floors, creosote bush scrub, and juniper woodlands, from 1,100–2,300 metres (3,600–7,500 ft).[1][3]
Description

Penstemon palmeri, Palmer's penstemon, grows erect and may reach 2 metres (6.6 ft) height. The leaves are generally oppositely arranged and have toothed margins. The inflorescence is a panicle or raceme with small bracts.[1][3]

The flower has a five-lobed calyx of sepals and a cylindrical corolla which may have an expanded throat. The staminode is partially hairy. The showy, rounded flower has large pink to violet to blue-purple petals and is fragrant, which distinguishes it from other, similar-looking penstemon. Occasional specimens are red, yellow, or white flowered.[3]
Varieties

There are three Penstemon palmeri varieties:

Penstemon palmeri var. palmeri - Palmer's penstemon, most occurrences of this species are this variety.[4]
Penstemon palmeri var. macranthus - scented beardtongue, is endemic to the Great Basin Desert in Nevada[5]
Penstemon palmeri var. eglandulosus - scented beardtongue, is limited to Utah and Arizona [6]

Ecology

It is evergreen, and it is a larval host to both the Arachne checkerspot and the variable checkerspot.[7]
References

. USDA Profile - P. palmeri
"Penstemon palmeri". Denver Botanic Gardens - Gardens Navigator. Denver Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
Jepson -P. palmeri
USDA var. palmeri
USDA var. macranthus
USDA. var. eglandulosus
The Xerces Society (2016), Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects, Timber Press.