Penstemon tracyi
Encyclopedia
Penstemon tracyi is a rare species of penstemon
known by the common names Trinity penstemon and Tracy's beardtongue. It is endemic to Trinity County, California
, where it is known from fewer than 10 occurrences in the Trinity Alps
, in the Klamath Mountains
. It grows in exposed rocky outcrops and barren talus
in the high mountains. This is a squat perennial herb growing no more than 12 centimeters tall. The hairless oval to rounded leaves are 1 to 2 centimeters long. The inflorescence
bears dense clusters of tubular pink flowers each about a centimeter long. The mouth of the flower has hairs along the floor and a tuft of hairs at the tip of the staminode
.
Penstemon
Penstemon , Beard-tongue, is a large genus of North American and East Asian plants traditionally placed in the Scrophulariaceae family. Due to new genetic research, it has now been placed in the vastly expanded family Plantaginaceae...
known by the common names Trinity penstemon and Tracy's beardtongue. It is endemic to Trinity County, California
Trinity County, California
Trinity County is a large, rugged and mountainous, heavily forested county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California, along the Trinity River and within the Salmon/Klamath Mountains. It covers an area of over two million acres , and as of the 2010 census its population...
, where it is known from fewer than 10 occurrences in the Trinity Alps
Trinity Alps
The Trinity Alps are mountains in Northern California, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, located to the northwest of Redding. Elevations there range from to at Thompson Peak. The Trinity Alps Wilderness covers , making it the second largest wilderness area in California...
, in the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
. It grows in exposed rocky outcrops and barren talus
Scree
Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
in the high mountains. This is a squat perennial herb growing no more than 12 centimeters tall. The hairless oval to rounded leaves are 1 to 2 centimeters long. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
bears dense clusters of tubular pink flowers each about a centimeter long. The mouth of the flower has hairs along the floor and a tuft of hairs at the tip of the staminode
Staminode
In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen. This means that it does not produce pollen. Staminodes are frequently inconspicuous and stamen-like, usually occurring at the inner whorl of the flower, but are also sometimes long enough to protrude from the...
.