Keckiella lemmonii
Bush beardtongue
(c) Scott Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Keckiella lemmonii (Bush beardtongue) is a native California shrub in the Plantaginaceae family.
Bush beardtongue is a California native shrub found in northwestern California and northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in rocky slopes, conifer and mixed forests, and chaparral at elevations below 2,100 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces distinctive purple-brown flowers with a pale yellow lower lip lined with brown and purple, with blooms 11 to 15 millimeters long. Growing with wand-like stems 50 to 150 centimeters tall that are glaucous and young stems glabrous, it forms an open, graceful structure. Its opposite leaves are 10 to 65 millimeters long, lanceolate to ovate, with rounded to wedge-shaped bases and margins generally featuring 2 to 12 teeth. The plant's staminode is notably adorned with dense yellow hairs that extend beyond the flower structure.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species. Key differentiators: distinctive purple-brown/yellow flower coloration, wand-like stems
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, conifer and mixed forests, chaparral
Elevation: < 2100 m
California counties: Lake, Plumas, Nevada, Shasta, Tehama, Siskiyou, Del Norte, Trinity, Humboldt, Napa, El Dorado, Butte, Sierra, Mendocino, Glenn, Yolo, Yuba, Placer, Sonoma, Colusa, Solano, Calaveras
Outside California: Oregon, Nevada
Bloom period
Keckiella lemmonii blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Penstemon: Keckiella has woody stems that persist year-round; Penstemon is herbaceous and dies back.; vs Epilobium: Keckiella has tubular two-lipped flowers with five stamens; Epilobium has four-petaled open flowers.; vs Tecomaria: Keckiella has small tubular flowers under 1 inch; Tecomaria has large showy orange-red trumpet flowers.; vs Larrea: Keckiella has tubular snapdragon-like flowers; Larrea has small yellow five-petaled flowers and resinous leaves.; vs Salvia: Keckiella has five stamens (one sterile); Salvia has only two fertile stamens and square stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Keckiella lemmonii native to California?
Yes. Keckiella lemmonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Keckiella lemmonii bloom?
Keckiella lemmonii blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Keckiella lemmonii grow?
Keckiella lemmonii occurs in Lake, Plumas, Nevada, Shasta, Tehama, Siskiyou, Del Norte, Trinity and other counties, at elevations of < 2100 m.
What plant family does Keckiella lemmonii belong to?
Keckiella lemmonii is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Keckiella.
What habitat does Keckiella lemmonii grow in?
Keckiella lemmonii grows in Rocky slopes, conifer and mixed forests, chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Keckiella rothrockii — Rothrock's keckiella
- Keckiella rothrockii var. jacintensis — San jacinto mts. keckiella
- Keckiella rothrockii var. rothrockii — Rothrock's keckiella
- Keckiella sp. — Bush penstemon
- Keckiella ternata — Blue stemmed keckiella
- Keckiella ternata var. septentrionalis — Northern blue stemmed keckiella
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.