Penstemon gairdneri

Penstemon gairdneri is a species of perennial plant in the Plantaginaceae family with the common name Gairdner's beardtongue. It is native to Washington, Oregon, and Idaho in the western United States.

Description
Penstemon gairdneri grows from a low branched, woody base, forming erect flower-bearing stems 10 to 40 cm tall. It also often has short densely-leafy stems lacking flowers that form a basal mat. Leaves are numerous and linear, up to 4 cm long and less than 3 mm wide and attach directly to the stems with no petiole, but do not clasp the stem like many other Penstemons. The showy purple to lilac flowers form at the top of leafy stems in a loose elongated cluster. They have a tubular throat that flares into 5 petal-like segments.

Range and habitat
Penstemon gairdneri grows in open dry habitat in eastern Washington and Oregon and southern Idaho, at low to moderate elevation in hills and mountains. It is common in thin rocky soils above basalt bedrock, where it is often the only Penstemon species.

Taxonomy
Penstemon gairdneri contains the following varieties:
 * Penstemon gairdneri var. oreganus
 * Penstemon gairdneri var. gairdneri