Penstemon laevigatus Aiton

Eastern Smooth Beardtongue; Eastern Beardtongue

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Eastern Smooth Beardtongue is a native herbaceous perennial in the Plantain family (Plantaginaceae). It is native to most of Alabama. Eastern Smooth Beardtongue occurs in low woodlands, in moist pastures, near streams, and on roadsides. It is a perennial with a fibrous root stems. Eastern Smooth Beardtongue forms small clones from basal off-shoots. The basal leaves are long petiolate, oblanceolate in outline, glabrous, with entire or slightly toothed margins. The stems are glabrous or minutely puberulent in narrow rows. Flowering stems are 2-3 feet in height, green or reddish in color, and branched above the middle. Cauline leaves are sessile, opposite, lanceolate in outline, glabrous or slightly pubescent along the midvein on the lower side, with entre or toothed margins. Flowers are produced in a panicle. The branches of the panicle are slightly glandular pubescent. Each flower has 5 sepals. The corolla is tubular and 2-lipped, the throat abruptly expanded above the middle. The upper lip is 2-lobed and the lower lip is 3-lobed. The corolla is glandular pubescent on the exterior and light lavender to white in color with a few faint purple lines in the throat. The anthers are brown and the staminode (tongue) in bearded in light yellow hairs. The fruit is a capsule. Eastern Smooth Beardtongue is available from some native plant nurseries. It prefers a moist soil and light shade. Its flowers attract many native bees.--A. Diamond

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Native FAC (NWPL)

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