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Show SPECIES OF THE MONTH In the World Largest Concentration rolling meadows, the man’ s grip on the steering wheel loosens. Almost home, his knuckles regain their color and his shoulders relax in a scan of the incredible vista that is his neighborhood. A mass of clear blue lies ahead, growing on the slipping road cut that will be forever seeking the angle of repose - 5,000 Wasatch Penstemons. Penstemons are responsible the color in the natural Utah June and July. They are found road cuts, in open meadows, sunny exposed habitats, often for much of landscape in along gravely or in other forming vast colonies in our mountains. Penstemon is the largest North American PENSTEMON Diversity: Over 100 species of penstemonsin the _ Intermountain West, occurring _in most habitat types. Utah hosts the most penstemon species in the world. _ Range: A with about occurring America mostly in the western United States with the greatest density in Utah. Height from 1 inch to 7 feet. Leaves opposite. Flowers occurring in dense panicle or ‘raceme. Floral tubes from 1/2 inch to 2 inches long. Color blue to purple, magenta, LARIACEAE, which includes snapdragons, Indian paintbrush, veronica, elephant head, owl clover, mullein, foxglove, monkey flower, and butter and eggs. Penstemon is the third largest genus in the Intermountain West, after ragal (milkvetch, locoweed) and Eriogonum (buck- Note: Although genus is easy to identify, species are difficult to tell apart from one another. Do not rely heavily on the color of the flower. One species, Penstemon i is dusky white in the contains over 250 species occurring in North America from Alaska and the Yukon to Guatemala, but most are found in the western United States. Over 50 species occur only in California, but Utah harbors the largest concentration of penstemons in the world, with over 85 species. Although penstemons are remembered for vibrant blue, purple or lavender flowers, they occur in most colors. The corolla (petals and floral tube) resembles a flared snapdragon and is trumpet shaped with a set of5 bilaterally symmetrical lobes (2 up and 3 down). The characteristic that sets penste- mons apart from other species of the genus is a prominent, tongue-like staminode (sterile stamen) that is usually hairy or even woolly, for which the flower tionary characteristic of all penstemons is their five-fold strategy to ensure reproduction: 1) A penstemon's blooming sequence The corolla assures cross pollination. Pease Penstemon ee ’Summit Books ! a & eee which can grow to over 7 feet tall. Penstemons have evolved dramatic variations within the many microhabitats of the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains. There seems to be a penstemon for every ecological niche. Penstemons have been evolving, cross tain meadows. Where to see them: Watch for them throughout the western U.S. blooming in June and July, split, and pollen is scraped out by visiting pollinators within a few hours. Meanwhile the style has been pushing the receptive stigma forward, passing the stamens about the time the pollen runs out. The style then and/or stigma, picking up fresh pollen and/or depositing pollen from another flower. Pollinators that visit penstemons for the nectar are sprinkled with pollen. 4) Penstemon pollen is even more sought after than nectar. The favorite method of harvesting by small bees is to rub the back of the thorax against the anthers, often so vigorously that a scratching sound is heard. Bumblebees land and then turn upsidedown to scrape pollen out of the anthers with their front legs and pack it on their hind legs. Because of the staminode's fuzziness, the overflow of pollen collects there and can be partaken of one last time, late in the blooming cycle. 5) The shape of flower can be a last resort pollination aid. Self pollination is seldom required, but can occur as the corolla falls off, when the narrow base of the corolla tube brings the stigma in touch with the pollen laden staminode. @ SWEET HO YWEEL mw IN THE BOC uN is sometimes (Penstemon_palmeri), sunny places. Highly adaptable to most habitats, except those that are perpetually moist, From deserts to moun- _ol- linator down that groove. 3) The hairy staminode and colored markings on the lower lip advertise the way to the nectary. The staminode lies directly in the pollinator's path, who forces the fuzzy tongue upward, so that it touches the anther rl called "beardtongue." This staminode is clearly visible from outside the flower, by both humans and pollinators. Penstemons are diverse and adaptable. Some species grow only in the hottest deserts of North America, while others are restricted to the margins of woodlands and alpine cirques. A few penstemons barely exceed an inch in height and form tight cushions or spreading carpets. The largest species is Palmer's eee large genus 250 species in North from Alaska and the Yukon to Guatemala, bur lavender, pink, red, maroon, yellow or white. Penstemon the goodies is facilitated "y leading t) Wasatch Mountains, baby blue near Cedar Breaks and Brian | Beardtongue genus of the Figwort Family, SCROPHU- wheat). Head and deep maroon in the Uinta Mountains. Interstate - 80 of Parley's Canyon hypnotizes homeward bound commuters. As the wedge of canyon flattens into verdant curves sharply downward at the tip and carries the receptive stigma into the position where incoming pollen can be most readily deposited upon it. The corolla shrivels and slips off- its job of attraction is done. 2) The shape of the flower accommodates pollinators. The form of the flowers and their horizontal positions serve to protect both pollen and nectar from wind and rain. Pollinator landing is taken care of by the broad lower lip. The ~.ver lip is k led, often with hairs on each side. Guida to nae KF TB whizzing past just beside the road. loosens until the lobes are free. The 2-lobed upper lip assumes a more or less erect position, while the 3-lobed lower lip spreads out into a broad landing platform. The anthers lie against the roof of the corolla tube, while the staminode is in line with the middle of the lower lip. The anthers is \ wil July 13 & 6:30 p.m. Sign Language Interpreted ..exercise your mind... Stop in and say hi, relax and browse while you enjoy one FREE ESPRESSO OR TEA BEVERAGE with this coupon! open daily...655-9446 780 Main St. Park City 5 Call 581-IRIS (4747) for info Amphitheater gates open at 5:O0p.m. Picnics and treats available at the Cuisine Unlimi booth or order by phone for pick-up at the concert, 268-2332. Tickets available thru ArtTix (355-ARTS) Red Butte Garden Summer Concerts 300 Wakara Way Salt Lake City, 581-5322 a QNYON KID® CoNCoReT Saturday, July 12, 10:00 a.m. Debra Bonner & Troupe ¢ SAWIL NIVLINNOW D arting through traffic with survival driving tactics rivaling the Indianapolis 500, the man loses track of nature's beauty of Penstemons breeding and adapting since the Late Cretaceous period, 70 million years ago. Through migration and natural selection, penstemons are evolving to adapt to specific climates, soils, elevations and other environmental factors. Probably the most interesting evolu- £49Vd By Pamela Mills Poulson Manager of Community Education Red Butte Garden and Arboretum |