Penstemon pahutensis

Pahute beardtongue

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Pahute beardtongue is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the northeastern Mojave Desert Mountains, specifically the Grapevine Mountains, in sagebrush scrub and pinyon-juniper woodland at elevations of 1,900 to 2,300 meters. Flowering in June, this plant produces blue-violet flowers with a yellow or white-hairy throat, creating a distinctive visual display against its glaucous foliage. Growing 15 to 35 centimeters tall with an upright, glabrous stem, it develops linear to narrowly lanceolate leaves extending 30 to 100 millimeters long. Its leaves are entire, presenting a clean, streamlined appearance characteristic of desert adapted plants. The flower's staminode is notably covered in dense golden-yellow hairs, adding a striking textural element to its delicate blue-violet blossoms.

Habitat: Sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland

Bloom period: Jun

Elevation: 1900-2300 m

Bioregions: ne DMtns (Grapevine Mtns)

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