Penstemon stephensii

Stephens' beardtongue

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Stephens' beardtongue is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native shrub found in the desert mountains in rocky slopes, washes, and rock crevices within creosote-bush scrub and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 1,000 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces rose to magenta flowers with a distinctive 4 to 6 millimeter wide throat and two prominent ridges. Growing 30 to 150 centimeters tall with glabrous herbage and an upright form, it develops a compact shrub-like structure. Its triangular-ovate leaves are 25 to 50 millimeters long, finely and sharply serrate, with distinctive pairs of leaves fused at the base. The flower's unique glandular corolla and included staminode contribute to its remarkable appearance in desert habitats.

Habitat: Rocky slopes, washes, rock crevices in creosote-bush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodland

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 1000-2200 m

Bioregions: DMtns.

California counties: Inyo, 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.