Penstemon scariosus

Penstemon scariosus
var. albifluvis
Conservation status
Apparently Secure  (NatureServe)
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

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]

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

1. Penstemon scariosus. The Nature Conservancy.
2. Penstemon scariosus. USDA Plants Profile.
3. var. albifluvis. Archived 2011-10-26 at the Wayback Machine Center for Plant Conservation.
4. 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.
5. var. albifluvis. ^{[ dead link ]} USDA NRCS Plant Guide.