Penstemon, the beardtongues, is a large genus of roughly 280 species of flowering plants native mostly to the Nearctic, but with a few species also found in the North American portion of the Neotropics. It is the largest genus of flowering plants endemic to North America. As well as being the scientific name, penstemon is also widely used as a common name for all Penstemon species alongside beardtongues.
Bombus melanopygus, the black-tailed bumble bee, black tail bumble bee or orange-rumped bumblebee, is a species of bumblebee native to western North America.
Keckiella corymbosa is a species of flowering shrub in the plantain family known by the common names redwood keckiella, red beardtongue, and red shrubby penstemon.
Penstemon calcareus is a species of penstemon known by the common name limestone beardtongue. 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. It is a perennial herb with erect branches up to about 25 centimeters in maximum height, grayish with a coating of fine hairs. The toothed, lance-shaped leaves are up to 6 centimeters long. The inflorescence produces bright pink to purplish tubular or funnel-shaped flowers between 1 and 2 centimeters long. The flower has a glandular outer surface and a staminode coated with yellow hairs.
Penstemon personatus is an uncommon species of penstemon known by the common name closethroat beardtongue.
Penstemon pudicus is a rare species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common names bashful beardtongue and Kawich Range beardtongue. It is endemic to Nevada in the United States, where it is known only from the Kawich Range in Nye County.
Penstemon rhizomatosus is a rare species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common names Scheel Creek beardtongue and rhizome beardtongue. It is endemic to Nevada in the United States, where it occurs only in the Schell Creek Range of White Pine County.
Penstemon attenuatus is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common names sulphur penstemon and taperleaf beardtongue. It is native to the northwestern United States.
Penstemon humilis is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common names low beardtongue and lowly beardtongue. It is native to the western United States.
Bombus mixtus is a species of bumblebee. It is native to western North America, where it occurs in western Canada and the United States. It is also disjunct in the Great Lakes region. It is known commonly as the fuzzy-horned bumblebee, tricoloured bumblebee, orange-belted bumblebee, and mixed bumblebee.
Bombus appositus is a species of bumblebee known commonly as the white-shouldered bumblebee. It is native to western North America, including western Canada and the western United States.
Bombus perplexus is a species of bumblebee known by the common name confusing bumblebee. It is native to northern North America, where it occurs across Canada and into the eastern United States.
Penstemon murrayanus is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common name scarlet beardtongue. It is endemic to Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas in the United States. The specific name murrayanuss honors Johann Andreas Murray, a Swedish botanist, and the common name "scarlet beardtongue" references the plant's scarlet flowers.
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 flowers from early April into early June.
Penstemon arkansanus is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common name Arkansas beardtongue. It is endemic to Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois in the United States, occurring in rocky or sandy soils of shale or sandstone.
Penstemon virens, commonly known as blue mist penstemon, Front Range beardtongue, or Green beardtongue, is a common Penstemon in the Front Range foothills in Colorado and Wyoming. The dainty flowers are an ornament to many rocky or sandy area within its range. It is confusingly similar to Penstemon humilis and Penstemon albertinus though the ranges of these plants do not overlap in the wild. The common name, blue mist penstemon, refers to the cloud of flowers on multiple stems facing every direction.
Penstemon ambiguus, commonly known as the bush penstemon, pink plains penstemon, or gilia beardtongue is a species of Penstemon that grows in the shortgrass prairies and deserts of the western United States and northern Mexico. This bush-like penstemon grows in sandy, loose, and creosote soils and is particularly known for the spectacular flowering show it produces, sometime seasons turning whole hillsides bright pink–white.
Penstemon auriberbis, commonly known as the Colorado penstemon or Colorado beardtongue, is a species of Penstemon that grows in the shortgrass prairies of southern Colorado and in a few places in northern New Mexico. Although specimens were collected on the 1820 expedition by Stephen H. Long through the area, they were not scientifically described as a separate species until 1920.
Penstemon caespitosus, commonly known as mat penstemon, is a summer blooming perennial flower in the large Penstemon genus. It is a widespread plant from near timberline to the foothills in the Southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau in North America. It is noted for its ground hugging growth habit and as a plant used in xeriscape and rock gardening.
Penstemon smallii is a species of flowering plant also known as Small's penstemon. They are native to the mountains of the Southeastern United States. They are state listed in Georgia (S1), Alabama (S1), Tennessee (S3), North Carolina (S3), and South Carolina (S2).
