Penstemon clevelandii var. connatus

San jacinto beardtongue

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

San jacinto beardtongue is a California native perennial ranked 4.3 by CNPS, found on the eastern slopes of the Santa Rosa Mountains in the eastern Peninsular Ranges in rocky hillsides, rock crevices, creosote-bush scrub, juniper and pinyon woodland, and chaparral at elevations of 400 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces bright pink flowers with corolla 19 to 22 millimeters long, creating a vibrant display against rocky landscapes. Growing with stems where the upper leaf bases uniquely fuse around the stem, it forms compact clusters in rugged terrain. Its leaves are sharply serrate, creating a distinctive textured appearance along the stem. The plant's staminode is slightly hairy, adding to its delicate botanical character.

Habitat: Rocky hillsides, rock crevices in creosote-bush scrub, juniper/pinyon woodland, chaparral

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: 400-1700 m

Bioregions: e PR (e slope SnJt, Santa Rosa mtns).

California counties: Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.