Nothochelone

Nothochelone is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the plantain family containing the single species Nothochelone nemorosa, which is known by the common name woodland beardtongue. Originally described as Penstemon nemorosus, the plant is very similar in appearance to the penstemons, but was separated and placed into its own genus on the basis of slight morphological differences, such as winged seeds.[1]

Nothochelone
Nothochelone nemorosa in Mount Rainier National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Tribe: Cheloneae
Genus: Nothochelone
(A.Gray) Straw
Species:
N. nemorosa
Binomial name
Nothochelone nemorosa
(Dougl. ex Lindl.) Straw
Synonyms

Penstemon nemorosus

Nothochelone is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern California, where it grows in mountain forests. It is a perennial herb producing an erect, hairy stem up to a meter tall from a caudex. The oppositely arranged leaves are lance-shaped to oval, pointed, toothed, and up to 14 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a panicle of flowers resembling penstemons, widely tubular with two lobed lips and a hairy staminode. The flower may exceed 3 centimeters in length and is light to dark pink in color. The fruit is a capsule containing the small winged seeds.

References
  1. Straw, R. M. (1966). A redefinition of Penstemon (Scrophulariaceae). Brittonia 18:80-95.

Media related to Nothochelone nemorosa at Wikimedia Commons


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