Penstemon cobaea | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Plantaginaceae |
Genus: | Penstemon |
Species: | P. cobaea |
Binomial name | |
Penstemon cobaea Nutt., 1835 | |
Varieties [2] | |
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Synonyms [2] | |
List
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Penstemon cobaea is a flowering plant in the plantain family, commonly known as Cobaea beardtongue, prairie penstemon or foxglove penstemon. The plant is native to the central United States, primarily the Great Plains from Nebraska to Texas, with additional populations in the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas. There are also populations reported in the southwestern United States as well as in Illinois and Ohio, but these appear to be introductions. [3] [4]
Penstemon cobaea is usually between 25 and 65 centimeters (10 and 26 in) tall, but on occasion may be as short as 15 cm (6 in) or as tall as 100 cm (3.3 ft). The stems grow directly upwards or curve backwards before growing upwards. The lower portion of the stems are puberulent, covered in very small and fine hairs, while further up they are glandular-pubescent, covered in glandular hairs. [5]
Plants will have both cauline and basal leaves, those attached to the stems and ones that grow directly from the base of the plant. However, sometimes the basal leaves will be absent or wither by the time of flowering. [5] The leaves are dark green and quite large. [6] The basal leaves and the lowest cauline will measure 3.5 to 15 centimeters long, though usually shorter than 12 cm, and 0.8 to 7.6 cm wide, though usually narrower than 5.5 cm. They may be spatulate to oblanceolate or elliptic in shape with a tapering base and edges that are almost entirely smooth, have forwards facing asymmetrical teeth, or regular teeth. Each stem will have four to eight pairs of leaves attached to opposite sides. While the lower leaves have petioles while the upper leaves have bases directly attached to the stems. [5]
Of the penstemon species that grow in the United States Cobaea penstemon has the largest flowers. [6] The inflorescence will usually have three to six groups of flowers, though occasionally as many as eight. Each of the paired cymes in a group will have between two and six flowers. Each flower measures 3.5 to 5.5 centimeters (1.5 to 2 in) long. [5] They have five lobes, with two large lobes on top and three small lobes on the bottom. The flowers have a structure reminiscent of a ribcage inside, and can be colored white to dark pink with magenta lines. [7] Blooming will start as early as April and can occur as late as May in the southern part of its range, while in the north it could be early as early as May late as June. [8]
The scientific description and name of Penstemon cobaea was published in 1835 by the botanist Thomas Nuttall based on a lecture he presented 5 April 1834 about plants in the Territory of Arkansas. [9] [2] It was given the illegitimate name of Penstemon grandiflorus by Friedrich Gottlieb Dietrich in 1837, having already been correctly described and because Nuttall had already used it for another species in 1813. P. cobaea has two accepted varieties. [2]
The species name, cobea, was selected to honor the Spanish missionary and naturalist Father Bernardo Cobo. [6] In English it is known by several common names. A variant of its scientific name is Cobaea penstemon. [7] Related to its habitat it is called prairie penstemon. [10] For the species appearance it may be called foxglove penstemon or wild white snapdragon. [6]
Cobaea beardtongue is native to the plains of the United States from Texas north to Nebraska and east to Arkansas and Iowa. [2] In Texas it is mainly grows in the central part of the state from Victoria northwards to Oklahoma. There it grows in the larger eastern side of the state and is unknown in the Oklahoma panhandle. It also grows in the eastern two-thirds of Kansas, but only in the far south eastern corner of Nebraska. Most of its range in Missouri is in the south bordering the main population in Arkansas. The exact location in Iowa is not recorded. [11]
It also grows in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Illinois, and Ohio, but is listed as an introduced species there by Plants of the World Online. [2]
Penstemon cobaea grows on hillsides, gravel, rocky outcrops, and gypsum soils, and eroded pastures. [7]
The conservation organization NatureServe evaluated Penstemon cobaea as apparently secure (G4) in 1987. At the state level they also reated it as apparently secure (S4) in Oklahoma, but vulnerable (S3) in Arkansas and Nebraska. Though other organizations show it as introduced to Colorado, NatureServe lists it as critically imperiled (S1) there alongside Iowa. They have not rated the rest of the range. [1]
The flowers of Penstemon cobaea will eventually become brown and black capsules, which contain the seeds. After planting, the seeds will take about two years to flower. It is good to leave 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in) between plants when gardening, and lime is often needed in the soil. [7]
Penstemon barbatus, known by the common names golden-beard penstemon, and beardlip penstemon, is a flowering plant native to the western United States.
Penstemon digitalis is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. The flowers are white and are borne in summer. It is native to eastern Canada and the eastern and southeastern United States. Penstemon digitalis is the most widespread species of Penstemon east of the Mississippi River.
Penstemon albomarginatus is a rare species of penstemon known by the common name white-margined penstemon. It is native to the deserts of southern Nevada, western Arizona, and southern California.
Penstemon anguineus is a species of penstemon known by the common name Siskiyou penstemon. It is native to the mountains of southern Oregon and northern California, where it grows in coniferous forests, often in open areas left by logging operations.
Penstemon barnebyi is a species of penstemon known by the common names White River Valley beardtongue and Barneby's beardtongue. It is native to the mountain and basin territory of central western Nevada, where it grows in sagebrush and woodland; there is also one occurrence just over the California border.
Penstemon caesius, commonly known as the San Bernardino penstemon, is a low growing species of flowering plant. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains, as well as the southern mountains of the Sierra Nevada. It is a member of the flora on rocky slopes and in coniferous forests and alpine habitat in the mountains.
Penstemon calcareus is a species of penstemon known by the common name limestone penstemon. It is native to California, where it is known from the deserts of central San Bernardino County, as well as the Death Valley area, where its distribution extends just over the border into Nevada. It grows in scrub and woodland, often on limestone substrates.
Penstemon centranthifolius is a species of penstemon known by the common name scarlet bugler. It is native to California and parts of Mexico, where it grows in many types of dry habitat from coast to desert, such as chaparral and oak woodland.
Penstemon clevelandii is a species of penstemon known by the common name Cleveland penstemon. It is native to southern California and Baja California, where it grows in mountain and desert habitat such as scrub, woodland, and chaparral.
Penstemon grandiflorus, known by the common names shell-leaved penstemon, shell-leaf beardtongue, or large-flowered penstemon, is a tall and showy plant in the Penstemon genus from the plains of North America. Due to its large flowers it has found a place in gardens, particularly ones aimed at low water usage like xeriscape gardens.
Penstemon canescens is a species of penstemon in the family Plantaginaceae. P. canescens is known by the common names gray beardtongue or Appalachian beardtongue. It is native to woodlands, forest edges, and roadsides of the southeastern United States and flowers May through July. It is a perennial herb producing stems reaching 80 centimeters in maximum height.
Penstemon angustifolius is a perennial semi-evergreen forb belonging to the plantain family. This species is 1 out of roughly 273 species of Penstemon. This species is also known as broadbeard beardtongue. This forb is native to central United States and can be noticed by its brightly and highly variable colored flowers.
Penstemon comarrhenus is a perennial plant in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae) found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the southwestern United States.
Penstemon brevisepalus, commonly known as short-sepaled beardtongue, is an herbaceous plant in the plantain family. It is a perennial that produces pale lavender flowers in late spring.
Penstemon calycosus, commonly called long-sepal beardtongue, is a species of plant in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae). It is native to eastern North America, where it native to the Upper South and Midwestern United States. It expanded its range into the northeast United States in the early 20th century. Its natural habitat is in open woodlands, prairies, and bluffs, often over limestone.
Penstemon tenuis is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common name sharpsepal beardtongue. It is endemic to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas in the United States where it is found in open, damp areas in alluvial soil. It typically flowers from early April into early June.
Penstemon australis is a perennial plant native to the southeastern United States, with the common name Eustis Lake penstemon.
Penstemon albidus, commonly known as white penstemon, white-flower beardtongue, or Red-Line Beardtongue is a very widespread perennial flower of the mixed-grass and shortgrass prairies. Its natural distribution is from Manitoba and Alberta in Canada to Texas and New Mexico in the United States. The bright white flowers for which they are named are quite attractive to both bees and hummingbird moths.
Penstemon pruinosus is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family; its common name is the Chelan penstemon. It is native to Washington State and southern British Columbia on the east side of the Cascade Mountains.
Penstemon richardsonii is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family; its common name is cutleaf beardtongue or Richardson's beardtongue. It is native to the US states of Washington, Oregon and the Canadian province British Columbia.