| Penstemon moffatii | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Flowering in Mesa County, Colorado | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Penstemon |
| Species: | P. moffatii |
| Binomial name | |
| Penstemon moffatii | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Penstemon moffatii, commonly called Moffat penstemon, is a flowering plant from the mesas and canyons of western Colorado and eastern Utah.
Penstemon moffatii is a herbaceous plant with a woody caudex that grows 7 to 30 centimeters (2.8 to 11.8 in) tall, though on rare occasions it may only be 3 cm (1.2 in) tall. [2] The caudex is thick, sometimes branched, and grows atop a thick taproot. The stems are ascending to erect, that is they grow outwards and then curve to upright growth or grow straight upwards, and are covered in rough backwards facing hairs. [3]
Plants have both basal and cauline leaves, those springing directly from the base of the plant and ones attached to the stems. The lower leaves are attached to the plant by a petiole and 1.5 to 6.5 centimeters (0.6 to 2.6 in) long, [4] though usually less than 4.5 cm (1.8 in). [2] Their width most often ranges between 3 and 20 millimeters, occasionally as wide as 25 mm. [2] The basal and lower leaves are spatulate, broadly obovate, to oblanceolate; spoon shaped, more teardrop shaped, to like a reversed spear head. [4] Their edges may be smooth or sinuate-toothed. [3] There may be one to four pairs of leaves attached to the stems with a length of 1.6 to 5.5 cm (0.6 to 2.2 in) and a tapered base or one that clasps the stem. [2]
The inflorescence at the top of the stem is highly variable in length from 1 to 12 cm. It may have anywhere from one to seven groups of flowers with a nearby pair of bracts just under where they attach to the stems. [2] The flowers may be 1.5 to 2.2 cm long and are funnel shaped tubes weakly divided into upper and lower lips at the end. They are blue, blue-purple, or less often purple and covered on the outside by glandular hairs. [3]
The fruit is a dry capsule that is broadly ovoid , shaped like a fat egg, 6 to 10 millimeters long. The seeds are about 3 mm long. [3]
Penstemon moffatii is a member of the Penstemon genus in the Plantaginaceae family. [5] In physical appearance Penstemon moffatii most closely resembles Penstemon breviculus among the penstemons in its range. [3]
The scientific description and name of Penstemon moffatii was published in 1893 by the botanist Alice Eastwood. [6] The specimens she described were collected near Grand Junction, Colorado along the railroad serving the local coal beds. [7] It has three synonyms. In 1920 Francis W. Pennell described and named Penstemon paysonii. However David D. Keck argued for this as a subspecies of P. moffatii in a paper he published in 1938. Though this and the other subspecies name he used are not accepted. [6]
Eastwood gave this species its name as an honor to the Gilded Age financier David H. Moffat. [7] In English it is known as Moffat penstemon. [4]
The range of Penstemon moffatii extends across parts of western Colorado and eastern Utah. [8] In Colorado it grows in six counties, from Garfield County in the north through Mesa, Delta, Montrose, and San Miguel to Montezuma County in the southwest corner of the state. [9] It is part of the flora of Colorado National Monument. [10] The USDA records it in seven counties in Utah, from San Juan in the southeast corner north through Garfield, Wayne, Grand, Emery, Duchesne, and Utah counties. [8]
It grows on both mesas and slopes, often on shale or gravel, [2] but also on sandy and clay soils. [3] It is associated with several southwestern plant communities including sagebrush shrublands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and blackbush scrub. [3]
In the year 2000 NatureServe evaluated Penstemon moffatii and rated it as vulnerable (G3) across its natural range due to a limited distribution with no abundance information available. In Colorado they assigned it the same rating at the state level and in Utah the rated it imperiled (S2). [1]
Penstemon moffatii is considered a good plant for dry rock gardens by experts in the growing of penstemons, but it is not a commonly cultivated species. [10]
Penstemon barbatus, known by the common names golden-beard penstemon, and beardlip penstemon, is a flowering plant native to the western United States.
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 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 cinicola is a species of penstemon known by the common name ash penstemon. It is native to northeastern California and southern Oregon, where it grows in forests and plateau habitat.
Penstemon deustus is a species of penstemon known by the common names hotrock penstemon and scabland penstemon. It is native to much of the northwestern United States from the Pacific Northwest to Wyoming, where it grows in many types of forest and open plateau habitat, often on soils heavy in volcanic rock or on limestone outcrops.
Penstemon eatonii is a species of flowering plant in the genus Penstemon, known by the common name firecracker penstemon. It is native to the Western United States from Southern California to the Rocky Mountains. It grows in many types of desert, woodland, forest, and open plateau habitat.
Penstemon floridus is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common names Panamint penstemon and rose penstemon.
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 franklinii, or Franklin penstemon, is a plant species endemic to Utah, United States, known only from Cedar Valley in Iron County. It grows in grasslands and in sagebrush communities.
Penstemon fruticosus, the bush penstemon or shrubby penstemon, is a species of penstemon native to the Pacific Northwest of North America.
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 cyanocaulis, the bluestem penstemon or bluestem beardtongue, is a perennial plant in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae) found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the southwestern United States.
Penstemon gairdneri is a species of perennial plant in the Plantaginaceae family with the common name Gairdner's beardtongue. It is native to Washington, Oregon, and Idaho in the western United States.
Penstemon arenicola, commonly known as Red Desert penstemon, is a species of plant from the Western United States. It primarily grows in Wyoming, but it also grows in small areas of Colorado and Utah. It is a short plant known for growing in sand as referenced by its scientific name.
Penstemon albifluvis, the White River penstemon, is a disputed species or variety of Penstemon that grows in a small area in eastern Utah and western Colorado. It grows mainly on broken shale and rock formations in desert habitats. White River penstemon is very rare.
Penstemon breviculus, the narrow-mouth penstemon or shortstem penstemon, is a species of perennial flowering plant from the dry forests and steppes of the Colorado Plateau in the western United States.
Penstemon watsonii is a flowering plant that grows largely in Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. It grows in dry rocky areas and has blue to violet flowers.
Penstemon crandallii, also known as Crandall's penstemon, is a species of penstemon that grows in western Colorado and small parts of New Mexico and Utah. It is a low growing plant with blue to purple flowers.
Penstemon ophianthus, the coiled anther penstemon, is a species of small perennial plant in the plantain family. It has very noticeable dark violet lines on its flowers over a lighter blue-lavender color. The species grows in the plateaus and canyon lands of western Colorado and New Mexico, northern Arizona, and southern Utah.
Castilleja scabrida, commonly known as rough paintbrush or Eastwood paintbrush, is a species of plant in Castilleja, the paintbrush genus from the Intermountain West mainly in the states of Nevada, Utah, and Colorado.
