''Penstemon cobaea'' is a flowering plant in the plantain family, commonly known as cobaea beardtongue, prairie beardtongue or foxglove penstemon. The plant is native to the central United States, primarily the

Great Plains The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, an ...

from

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, with additional populations in the

Ozarks The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

and

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

. There are also populations reported in the southwestern United States as well as in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

and

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, but these appear to be introductions.

Habitat

''Penstemon cobaea'' grows on hillsides, gravel, rocky outcrops, and gypsum soils, and eroded pastures.

Description

''Penstemon cobaea'' is usually about 30 cm (1 foot) tall, but occasionally reaches as much as . The flowers are long and have five lobes, with two large lobes on top and three small lobes on the bottom. The flowers have a structure reminiscent of a ribcage inside, and can be white or pink with magenta lines. The leaves of the plant are broad, at about long and wide.Nuttall,_Thomas_1836.__Transactions_of_the_American_Philosophical_Society,_new_series_5(6 Nuttall,_Thomas_1836.__Transactions_of_the_American_Philosophical_Society,_new_series_5(6[3
/nowiki>):_182">">Nuttall,_Thomas_1836.__Transactions_of_the_American_Philosophical_Society,_new_series_5(6[3
/nowiki>):_182parallel_descriptions_in_English_+_Latin,_as_''Pentstemon_Cobaea''

_Cultivation

The_flowers_of_''Penstemon_cobaea''_will_eventually_become_brown_and_black_capsules,_which_contain_the_seeds._After_planting,_the_seeds_will_take_about_two_years_to_flower._It_is_good_to_leave__between_plants_when_gardening,_and_lime_is_often_needed_in_the_soil.

_References

_External_links

photo_of_herbarium_specimen_at_Missouri_Botanical_Garden,_collected_in_Missouri_in_1989
{{Taxonbar.html" ;"title="
/nowiki>):_182.html" ;"title="">Nuttall, Thomas 1836. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, new series 5(6 ">Nuttall,_Thomas_1836.__Transactions_of_the_American_Philosophical_Society,_new_series_5(6[3
/nowiki>):_182parallel_descriptions_in_English_+_Latin,_as_''Pentstemon_Cobaea''

_Cultivation

_References

_External_links

photo_of_herbarium_specimen_at_Missouri_Botanical_Garden,_collected_in_Missouri_in_1989
{{Taxonbar">from=Q17739529 Penstemon.html" ;"title="
/nowiki>): 182">">Nuttall, Thomas 1836. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, new series 5(6[3
/nowiki>): 182parallel descriptions in English + Latin, as ''Pentstemon Cobaea''

Cultivation

The flowers of ''Penstemon cobaea'' will eventually become brown and black capsules, which contain the seeds. After planting, the seeds will take about two years to flower. It is good to leave between plants when gardening, and lime is often needed in the soil.

References

External links

photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden, collected in Missouri in 1989
{{Taxonbar">from=Q17739529 Penstemon">cobaea Flora of the United States Plants described in 1836