Penstemon is the most diverse genus of flowering plants in North America, with 280ish species from Alaska to Guatemala. All Penstemon (formerly in the figwort family, now with plantains) have opposite leaves (usually clasping around the flower stalk), 4 fertile anther sacs, and an infertile staminode.
The pollination strategy varies, as some species co-evolved with hummingbirds and others with bees and flies. Most of the bee pollinated species have flowers like this Penstemon angustifolius in my garden (Narrow-leaf beardtongue is native to the four corners states and up through the Great Plains.) If you look closely, you’ll see the “beardtongue” feature aka staminode between the bees legs and the anthers on the bees back with the style (female flower part) in the top middle. The usual behavior of a medium to large bee, like a mason (here), digger, or bumble, is to access the nectar at the base of the flower. When they do this, pollen is deposited on their backs and can rub off at the next flower. Hummingbird-pollinated Penstemon usually have longer, narrow red flower tubes so the pollen ends up on the bird’s feathers, just above the bill.
hella_strafe
How could you not love Penstemons? One day I want to visit Utah just to find all the rare species there!
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Penstemon is the most diverse genus of flowering plants in North America, with 280ish species from Alaska to Guatemala. All Penstemon (formerly in the figwort family, now with plantains) have opposite leaves (usually clasping around the flower stalk), 4 fertile anther sacs, and an infertile staminode.
The pollination strategy varies, as some species co-evolved with hummingbirds and others with bees and flies. Most of the bee pollinated species have flowers like this Penstemon angustifolius in my garden (Narrow-leaf beardtongue is native to the four corners states and up through the Great Plains.) If you look closely, you’ll see the “beardtongue” feature aka staminode between the bees legs and the anthers on the bees back with the style (female flower part) in the top middle. The usual behavior of a medium to large bee, like a mason (here), digger, or bumble, is to access the nectar at the base of the flower. When they do this, pollen is deposited on their backs and can rub off at the next flower. Hummingbird-pollinated Penstemon usually have longer, narrow red flower tubes so the pollen ends up on the bird’s feathers, just above the bill.
How could you not love Penstemons? One day I want to visit Utah just to find all the rare species there!