FIGWORT FAMILY 



217 



tar, these birds unconsciously transfer pollen from one plant 

 to another, thus insuring a cross-pollination of the flowers. 

 The nectar is secreted at the bottom of a long and narrow 

 corolla-tube and is therefore inaccessible to most or perhaps 

 to all insects, while the hummingbird has no difficulty in reach- 

 ing it with his long beak, which soon becomes so covered 

 with pollen as to appear gilded. The species occurs at such 

 places as Yosemite Valley (Union Point and Ledge Trail), 

 Rancheria Mt, and Matterhorn Canon. 



Pentstemon bridgesii 



Pentstemon breviflorus 



3. P. brevifldrus Lindl. Stems often 3 to 6 ft. high, with 

 numerous slender branches, each terminating in a loose 

 oblong panicle of yellowish flowers. Leaves lanceolate to 

 linear, 1 in. or more long, Ya in. wide, minutely toothed. 

 Corolla Yz to Y\ in. long, flesh-color, pink-striped within; 

 upper lip arched, hairy; lower lip recurved. Sterile filament 

 glabrous. 



This species forms loose, rounded clumps on talus slopes 

 and in other rocky places below about 6000 ft. alt. The In- 

 dians utilize the tough, flexuous stems by weaving them into 

 large baskets used for the storing of food. 



4. P. confertus Dougl. Stems simple and erect, 3 in. to 2 

 ft. high, from leafy tufts, terminating in a series of dense 

 floral whorls, or these reduced to a single head-like cluster. 

 Leaves lanceolate or oblong, entire, 1 to 4 in. long, about 

 Y\ to 24 ln - wide, the lower petioled, upper sessile. Corolla 

 blue, Y in. or less long, tubular, slightly 2-lipped; lower lip 

 bearded within. Sterile filament hairy along one side. 



The extent to which this Pentstemon responds to changes 

 in environment is remarkable. The original form, from 

 Oregon and the Rocky Mts., is yellow-flowered. In our 

 form the flowers are always bluish, a character which in- 

 duced Dr. Gray to give it the unwieldy but expressive varietal 

 name of caeruleo-purpureus. In good soil at low altitudes, as 



