Penstemon scariosus is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common name White River beardtongue. It is native to Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming in the United States.[1]
| Penstemon scariosus | |
|---|---|
| |
| var. albifluvis | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Penstemon |
| Species: | P. scariosus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Penstemon scariosus Pennell
| |
There are four varieties of this species, including var. albifluvis (White River beardtongue), var. cyanomontanus (Neese's Blue Mountain beardtongue), and var. garrettii (Garrett's beardtongue).[2] The var. albifluvis is a rare variety limited to northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado. It is up to 30 centimeters tall and produces lavender or light blue flowers.[3] The flowers are pollinated by bees.[4] This variety is a candidate for federal protection because it grows on oil shale, a common source of petroleum.[5]
References
edit- ^ Penstemon scariosus. The Nature Conservancy.
- ^ Penstemon scariosus. USDA Plants Profile.
- ^ var. albifluvis. Archived 2011-10-26 at the Wayback Machine Center for Plant Conservation.
- ^ Lewinsohn, J. S., et al. (2007). Breeding biology and flower visitors of the rare White River pentstemon, Penstemon scariosus var. albifluvis (Scrophulariaceae). Western North American Naturalist 67(2):232-237.
- ^ var. albifluvis.[permanent dead link] USDA NRCS Plant Guide.