Penstemon gracilentus
Slender beardtongue
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Penstemon gracilentus (Slender beardtongue) is a native California subshrub in the Plantaginaceae family, recognized by linear leaves, small flowers, and partially dehiscing anthers.
Slender beardtongue is a California native perennial found in the northern Sierra Nevada, Cascade Range, and Modoc Plateau in sagebrush scrub, juniper woodland, and yellow-pine to subalpine forests at elevations of 900 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces red- to blue-purple flowers 15 to 20 millimeters long with a distinctive yellow-hairy staminode. Growing with woody-branched stems 25 to 65 centimeters tall, it has an upright, slender form with glabrous herbage. Its leaves are primarily cauline, with distal leaves 40 to 100 millimeters long, linear to narrowly lanceolate, and entirely smooth-edged. The plant's glandular inflorescence and vibrant flower color make it a striking component of its high-elevation habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 38 sympatric species; key features are linear leaves, small flowers, and partially dehiscing anthers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sagebrush scrub, juniper woodland, yellow-pine to subalpine forests
Elevation: 900-2800 m
California counties: Sierra, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Butte, Lassen, Placer, Alpine, Modoc, Nevada, Tehama, El Dorado, Inyo, Ventura, Tuolumne, Kern, Mono
Outside California: Oregon, Nevada
Bloom period
Penstemon gracilentus blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Epilobium: Penstemon has tubular two-lipped flowers with five stamens; Epilobium has four-petaled open flowers with eight stamens.; vs Keckiella: Penstemon is herbaceous and dies back; Keckiella has persistent woody stems year-round.; vs Salvia: Penstemon has five stamens (one sterile); Salvia has only two fertile stamens and square stems.; vs Ipomopsis: Penstemon has two-lipped tubular flowers; Ipomopsis has star-shaped flowers with five equal lobes.; vs Antirrhinum: Penstemon has a sterile stamen visible inside; Antirrhinum has only four stamens, none sterile.
Frequently asked questions
Is Penstemon gracilentus native to California?
Yes. Penstemon gracilentus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Penstemon gracilentus bloom?
Penstemon gracilentus blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Penstemon gracilentus grow?
Penstemon gracilentus occurs in Sierra, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Butte, Lassen, Placer, Alpine and other counties, at elevations of 900-2800 m.
What plant family does Penstemon gracilentus belong to?
Penstemon gracilentus is in the Plantaginaceae family, genus Penstemon.
What habitat does Penstemon gracilentus grow in?
Penstemon gracilentus grows in Sagebrush scrub, juniper woodland, yellow-pine to subalpine forests.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Penstemon grinnellii — Grinnell's beardtongue
- Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii — Grinnell's beardtongue
- Penstemon grinnellii var. scrophularioides — Grinnell's beardtongue
- Penstemon heterodoxus — Sierra beardtongue
- Penstemon heterodoxus var. cephalophorus — Sierra beardtongue
- Penstemon heterodoxus var. heterodoxus — Sierra beardtongue
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.