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Photo by Bill Gray; Bill Gray; Bejamin Gibbons
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; Sources: ESRI, USGS, NOAA
White River Beardtongue
Penstemon albifluvis
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G4T1
State (S-rank): S2
External links
Phenology
Penstemon albifluvis flowers from late May to June.
Diagnostic characteristics
Penstemon albifluvis was treated for some time as a variety of Penstemon scariosus, a complex species with a few other varieties, from which it can be distinguished by a few factors. First, P. albifluvis is known only from the Uinta Basin, especially near the White River. The leaves of P. albifluvis are primarily less than 7mm wide, and the basal leaves of P. albifluvis are significantly less developed than those of P. scariosus. Finally, flower color and number differ: for P. albifluvis, flowers are a lavender color, rarely with some blue, and average 10-16 flowers per stem. In contrast, P. scariosus flowers in various shades of blue, averaging 14-30 (or more) flowers per stem.
Species range
Penstemon albifluvis is known from two populations. The primary population occupies Raven Ridge near the White River in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, extending westward near Bonanza in southern Uintah County, Utah, to the vicinity of Evacuation Creek, a distance of about 20 miles. A second, smaller population is known from the top of the Book Cliffs in northern Grand County, UT.
Threats or limiting factors
Primary threats are energy exploration and development in the Uinta Basin, as well as potential harm from grazing and recreation. An estimated 99% of individuals occur on substrate which is considered a priority for oil shale development, while all known individuals grow in an area with hydrocarbon resources.
