21 



bladderpod ' s low stature protects it from browsing. However, the 

 species has a limited range, its local distribution is confined 

 to highly specific substrates, and its populations may be subject 

 to drastic natural fluctuations. Its numbers could be severely 

 impacted by future mining activity or other major disturbances, 

 including weed infestations, in the areas where it grows. To 

 insure that the taxon is considered in future management plans, 

 it should be designated a Watch plant taxa by the BLM, as 

 proposed. 



Penstemon lemhiensis (Keck) Keck & Cronguist 

 Lemhi Beardtongue 



A. Description 



1. General description: Penstemon lemhiensis is a large 

 herbaceous perennial in the Figwort Family 



( Scrophulariaceae) . The plants have a basal rosette of 

 large, entire margined leaves and stem leaves which are 

 smaller and arranged oppositely. The flowers are borne on 

 short stalks in whorls at the upper nodes. The flowers are 

 large with a green calyx with 5 sharply pointed segments 

 which are fused at their base and a bright blue corolla 

 which is fused for most of its length but two lipped at its 

 mouth. There are 4 fertile stamens, a fifth sterile 

 "staminode," and a single pistil which develops into a 

 capsule. A photographic slide of the plant and its habitat 

 is attached at the end of this report. 



2. Technical description: Perennial herb, 3-7 dm (12-28 in) 

 tall, with one-several stout stems from a branched caudex; 

 herbage often finely hirtellous-puberlent at least in part; 

 leaves entire, the basal ones clustered, up to 15-20 cm (6-8 

 in) long and 1-2.5 (0.4-1 in) wide, with petiolate, 

 oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic blades; cauline leaves 

 sessile, opposite, mostly lanceolate, up to ca. 10-12 cm (4- 

 4.8 in) long and 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8 in) wide; inflorescence 

 glabrous, of several-many loose verticillasters, more or 

 less secund in life; calyx 7-11 mm (0.27-0.43 in) long, the 

 segments lanceolate to narrowly ovate, evidently but not 

 strongly scarious margined below, tapering to a long- 

 acuminate or subcaudate tip; corolla bright blue to 

 purplish, 40-55 mm (1.5-2 in) long, ca. 1.5 cm (0.6 in) wide 

 at the mouth; pollen sacs 1-3 mm (0.04-0.12 in) long, 

 divaricate, evidently dentate-ciliolate along the sutures, 

 pubescent near the connective and on side away from 

 dehiscence; staminode glabrous; capsules ca. 10-15 mm (0.4- 

 0.6 in) long; seeds ca. 2-3 mm (0.08-0.12 in) long (adapted 

 by Shelly 1990, from Hitchcock et al . 1959 and Dorn 1984). 



