Gairdner's Beardtongue, Gairdner's Penstemon
Penstemon gairdneri var. gairdneri
Synonym: Penstemon gairdneri ssp. gairdneri
The photo above shows a nice mat of Gairdner's penstemon (var. gairdneri) as seen from near the summit of Simcoe Butte in northern Klickitat County, south-central Washington........June 16, 2007.
Photo
at right shows Gairdner's penstemon (var. gairdneri) from Reecer Creek Road,
Table Mt, Wenatchee N.F.........6/22/97.
Characteristics:
Gairdner's penstemon has several erect stems which rise up to
40 cm from a somewhat mat-forming base. The leaves are
narrow to linear, entire, and alternate on the stems. The leaves are finely
pubescent. This is the only penstemon with truly alternate leaves.
The inflorescence is a raceme or mixed raceme-panicle. It is
few-flowered, or at least with 2 flowers per stem when they are present. The
sepals are lanceolate to ovate, with acute tips. The corolla is lavender to
purple or rose, with some white at the throat. The tube is narrow, and does
not expand greatly. The five corolla lobes flare widely and are about 1/3 the
length of the tube. The corolla is glandular within the throat and on the palate.
Varieties:
Variety gairdneri: Leaves alternate (A few may
be opposite.)
Variety oreganus: Leaves opposite (occasionally
with a few alternate leaves).
Habitat:
Gairdner's penstemon is found in dry, often rocky habitats.
It may also be found in association with sagebrush.
Range:
Variety gairdneri is found throughout central Washington into northeastern Oregon and west on the ridgetops of the Columbia River Gorge to near The Dalles, OR.
Variety oreganus is found in the Blue and Wallowa Mts. of Oregon eastward across the Snake River to western Idaho.
The photo above shows a nice mat of Gairdner's penstemon (var. gairdneri) as seen from near the summit of Simcoe Butte in northern Klickitat County, south-central Washington..........June 16, 2007.
A close-up sideview of the corolla and calyx of Gairdner's penstemon as seen along Road 35 (Reecer Creek Road), Wenatchee National Forest.........June 5, 2009. Note the numerous gland tipped hairs on the outer surface of the calyx and corolla as well as on the inner surface of the corolla lobes.
- 
These photos show close-ups of the flower of Gairdner's penstemon (var. gairdneri) as seen from near the summit of Simcoe Butte in northern Klickitat County, south-central Washington.......June 16, 2007. Note the yellow-bearded staminode at the lower opening of the flower.
- 
A nice cluster of Gairdner's beardtongue as seen (left) along US Highway 26 about 3 miles east of Prairie City, Oregon.......June 22, 2011. The photo at right shows Gairdner's penstemon as seen along FS Road #2230 between Mount Pisgah and East Point, Ochoco National Forest........June 13, 2015.
- 
These photos show the upper stem leaves and inflorescence of Gairdner's penstemon (var. gairdneri) as seen from near the summit of Simcoe Butte in northern Klickitat County, south-central Washington.........June 16, 2007. Note the numerous minute hairs covering both the leaves and stem.
- 
Gairdner's beardtongue as seen (left) near Antelope Mountain Lookout in the Malheur National Forest.........July 3, 2010. The photo at right shows Gairdner's beardtongue atop Lookout Mountain, Ochoco National Forest.........June 15, 2015.
- 
Gairdner's beardtongue blooming along the Mother Lode Trail #808A atop Lookout Mountain, Ochoco National Forest.........June 25, 2017.
- 
Gairdner's beardtongue blooming (left) at an old borrow pit along Road 35 about one-half mile uphill from the southern forest boundary on Table Mountain, Wenatchee National Forest...........June 4, 2013. The photo at right shows Gairdner's beardtongue blooming atop Bickleton Ridge in the Bickleton Ridge Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area.........June 17, 2017.
- 
Gairdner's penstemon blooming at left along Forest Road 22 near the junction of Forest Road 4210, Big Summit Prairie, Ochoco National Forest.......May 27, 2018. The photo at right shows Gairdner's penstemon in bloom on scablands about one-quarter of a mile uphill to the west of Wenas Campground, Yakima County, WA......May 24, 2019.
Paul Slichter