Penstemon thompsoniae

Thompson's beardtongue

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Thompson's beardtongue is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the eastern Desert Mountains, specifically the New York and Clark Mountain Ranges, in white calcareous soil within pinyon and juniper woodland at elevations of 1,700 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces violet to blue flowers 10 to 18 millimeters long with a pale yellow-hairy flower floor. Growing as a low, prostrate herb 5 to 15 centimeters tall, it forms a distinctive matted growth habit with ashy, appressed, backward-pointing scale-like hairs. Its leaves are small, 5 to 20 millimeters long, with a somewhat obovate shape and petioled base. The staminode is notably adorned with dense orange to golden-yellow hairs, adding a striking textural element to the plant.

Habitat: White calcareous soil in pinyon/juniper woodland

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 1700-1900 m

Bioregions: e DMtns (New York Mtns, Clark Mtn Range)

California counties: 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.