Penstemon personatus

Closed-throated beardtongue

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Closed-throated beardtongue is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada mountains in Butte and Plumas counties, within yellow-pine and montane forests at elevations of 1,050 to 1,800 meters. Flowering in July, this plant produces blue-purple flowers with an arched corolla that distinctively closes its throat, giving it a unique architectural form. Growing 30 to 50 centimeters tall with generally glaucous and glabrous stems, it develops scale-like lower leaves and short-petioled ovate leaves at mid-stem. Its leaves are primarily entire or slightly toothed, with blades measuring 30 to 50 millimeters long and arranged along the stem. The flower's glandular inflorescence and densely hairy interior contribute to its intricate botanical character.

Habitat: Yellow-pine, montane forests

Bloom period: Jul

Elevation: 1050-1800 m

Bioregions: n SN (Butte, Plumas cos.).

California counties: Butte, Plumas, Nevada

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