Penstemon scapoides

Pinyon beardtongue

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Pinyon beardtongue is a native shrub found in western Inyo and northern Desert Mountains (Last Chance Range) in sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper, and bristlecone-pine woodland at elevations of 2,000 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces pale lavender to purple or blue flowers 25 to 34 millimeters long with a yellow-hairy flower floor. Growing as a subshrub 15 to 60 centimeters tall with a woody-branched base and glaucous, glabrous stems, it forms a dense basal mat. Its leaves are densely hairy, with small basal leaves 1.5 to 6 millimeters long, ovate to nearly round, and a few narrow linear to oblanceolate cauline leaves. The plant's distinctive glandular inflorescence and pale yellow-hairy staminode contribute to its unique character.

Habitat: Sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper, and bristlecone-pine woodland

Bloom period: Jun-Jul

Elevation: 2000-3200 m

Bioregions: W&ampI, n DMtns (Last Chance Range).

California counties: Mono, Inyo

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