Scrophulariaceae

Penstemon davidsonii

Davidson's Penstemon

Dense mat with creeping woody stems, evergreen. Leaves small, oval, dark green, leathery, hairless. Leaves on flowering stems smaller, bract-like. Flowers 3/4–1 1/2 in. long, blue-lavender to purple, wide tubes usually flattened on the sides, white-woolly hairs on bottom of throat, staminode densely hairy. Var. davidsonii, the only form in California and most of Oregon, has more rounded leaves, large flowers about 1–1 1/2 in. long. Var. menziesii is generally smaller, with leaves broadest at the base, toothed, with short petioles, flowers 1 in. long, blue-violet. Var. praeteritus, endemic on Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon, is larger, with 1–2 in. flowers, leaves with sharply pointed tips. All prefer rocky, well-drained soils, some shade, at high elevations.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: Mid Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 2--5 inches
• Habitat: Subalpine, Alpine
• Found In: Steens, Olympic Np, Mt. Rainier Np, N Cascades Np
• Native: Yes