Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Plantain family (Plantaginaceae)

Rocky Mountain Penstemon (Penstemon strictus) is showy, very common, and often appears in large colonies in Pinyon/Juniper woods and lower elevations. It blooms for many weeks and is often the most common and conspicuous Penstemon. It grows to three feet tall; has few, narrow, pointed, opposite stem leaves; and its numerous stems with numerous purple flowers (ranging from intensely deep purple to pale lavender-purple) are mostly , i.e., arranged on one side of the stem. "Strictus," from the Latin for "straight," refers to the leaf and the very straight stems.


©2004 Robert Sivinski

Description

to over 3' tall in clumps, stems to few, erect, herbage . Leaves 1-4+" long, 1/10 to 3/5" wide, to or , the and lower leaves petioled, the upper , often folded, . , wand like, strongly one-sided("") made up of 3-10 swirls of flowers each with up to 4 flowers on long . over an inch long, , upper spreading, the lower ones spreading and , blue to dark blue or blue purple. well-. a .

Field Marks

Tall plants with masses of showy blue flowers.

© Al Schneider

exserted -- projected beyond. (Exserted stamens project beyond the corolla tube.)

An entire leaf has smooth edges. Not toothed or lobed.

oblanceolate -- top wider than bottom

A peduncle is a common stalk of a cluster of flowers.

linear -- Long and very narrow like a blade of grass.

lobe -- A rounded parts of a leaf (or other organ).

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

corolla -- The name for all the petals of a flower taken together.

reflexed -- bent sharply back or down.

basal -- at the base, situated or attached at the base.

calyx -- the sepals of a flower, typically forming a whorl that encloses the petals and forms a protective layer around a flower in bud.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

sessile -- attached without a stalk. For example, a leaf that clasps the stalk. A petiolate leaf has a stalk.

The anther is a pad at the end of the stamen that holds the pollen.

montane -- inhabiting mountainous country but below timberline.

secund -- With all of the flowers on one side. Having all parts arranged on one side.

capsule -- a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. In most cases the capsule splits apart to release seeds.

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem.

glabrous -- smooth, glossy, having no bristles or hair-like structures. Bald.

lanceolate -- Lance-shaped. Long, wider in the middle.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.