The colors below indicate the kind of documentation available for this species
in the California counties where it occurs.
Beardtongue Penstemon laetus var. laetus (Scrophulariaceae)
Many species of Penstemon hold their trumpet-shaped flowers well above the foliage. The trumpet, or corolla, in this species is brilliant blue-purple and attracts a variety of flying insects. Floral rewards in Penstemon take the form of pollen and nectar which are "packaged" in the anthers and nectaries respectively. Differences in corolla shape, stamen morphology, and leaf shape provide useful characters for distinguishing the many species of Penstemon in California. The genus Penstemon has the largest number of species of any flowering plant group restricted to North America.
DISTRIBUTION: Foothill and montane forests from the Sierra Nevada to the western Transverse Ranges; 400-2500 m.
