Penland beardtongue (Penstemon penlandii)
Taxonomy:
Listing Status:
Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND
General Information
The Kremmling beardtongue (also known as the Penland beardtongue) is a herbaceous (non-woody) plant species in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae) (formerly in the figwort family). It is a compact, clumping plant with straight and pointed dark green, inrolled leaves. The plant grows 2 to 6 inches tall and up to 8 inches wide from a spreading and deep root system, which secures the plant in the highly erodible soils of its habitat. Its flowers are blue-violet and tubular, measuring 3/4 inch long. In June and July you can find the showy Kremmling beardtongue in bloom. The Kremmling beardtongue is endemic to Middle Park in Grand County of northern Colorado, near the town of Kremmling. Middle Park is a high elevation sagebrush valley at 7,500 feet nestled within the Rocky Mountains. The Kremmling beardtongue is only known to occur on white to tan barren shale soil exposures. There is only one population of the Kremmling beardtongue in the whole world— making the Kremmling beard-tongue a local treasure. The Kremmling beardtongue is threatened by off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation, road maintenance, fugitive dust from nearby roads, and utility maintenance. The species’ extremely small range and limited habitat availability make it more susceptible to extinction than other species with broader ranges. Therefore, protection of existing populations is vital to the survival of the species. Additional threats include climate change and nonnative invasive plant (weeds). Protection of native bee pollinators and their nesting habitat is also essential to the Kremmling beardtongue’s survival.
- States/US Territories in which the Penland beardtongue, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: Colorado
- US Counties in which the Penland beardtongue, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: View All
- Additional species information
| Status | Date Listed | Lead Region | Where Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-07-13 | Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) | Wherever found |
» Federal Register Documents
| Date | Citation Page | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-05-06 00:00:00.0 | 79 FR 25883 | Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews of Nine Species in the Mountain-Prairie Region |
| 1988-07-05 00:00:00.0 | 53 FR 25181 25185 | Proposal to Determine Astragalus osterhoutii & Penstemon penlandii to be End. Species; 53 FR 25181-25185 |
| 2016-05-27 00:00:00.0 | 81 FR 33698 33700 | ETWP; Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews of 21 Species in the Mountain-Prairie Region |
| 1989-07-13 00:00:00.0 | 54 FR 29658 29663 | ETWP; Final Rule to Determine Astragalus osterhoustii and Penstemon penlandii to be Endangered Species; 54 FR 29658 29663 |
» Recovery
| Date | Title | Plan Action Status | Plan Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-09-30 | Osterhout Milk-vetch/Penland Beardtongue (2 spp.) | View Implementation Progress | Final |
| Date | Citation Page | Title | Document Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05-27 | 81 FR 33698 33700 | ETWP; Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews of 21 Species in the Mountain-Prairie Region |
|
| 2014-05-06 | 79 FR 25883 | Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews of Nine Species in the Mountain-Prairie Region |
|
» Critical Habitat
No critical habitat rules have been published for the Penland beardtongue.
» Conservation Plans
No conservation plans have been created for Penland beardtongue.
» Petitions
» Life History
Habitat Requirements
Kremmling beardtongue is known from only one site 16 kilometers (10 miles) east of Kremmling, Colorado. It is estimated the species occupies less than 1500 acres. The plant is locally abundant but highly restricted to sparsely vegetated shales of the Troublesome Formation that are high in selenium. The plant community is dominated by grasses and mixed shrubs (especially sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and bitterbrush).
Reproductive Strategy
Kremmling beardtongue has rhizomes and vegetative growth. It is unknown how clonal the species is, nor has its genetic diversity been investigated. It is not known how long-lived Penstemon penlandii individuals are. The plant exhibits a mixed mating system: it can produce seed with pollen from the same plant but is significantly more successful with pollen from another plant. Pollen must be moved from plant to plant with the assistance of pollinators. The primary pollinators are native solitary bees, especially those in the genus Osmia. Conservation of Penland penstemon must include these pollinators.
» Other Resources
NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.
