Arkansas beardtongue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arkansas beardtongue |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Penstemon
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| Species: |
arkansanus
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Penstemon arkansanus is a type of beautiful flowering plant often called the Arkansas beardtongue. It belongs to the plantain family. You can find this special plant only in certain parts of the United States. These areas include Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois. It likes to grow in rocky or sandy soils, especially where there's shale or sandstone.
What Does it Look Like?
The Arkansas beardtongue is a plant that lives for more than two years. It has stems that grow close together, reaching about 30 to 60 centimeters (about 1 to 2 feet) tall. These stems are often grayish and covered in tiny, soft hairs. Sometimes, they even turn a bit purplish!
Its leaves also have these fine hairs. The longest leaves can be about 7 to 10 centimeters (about 3 to 4 inches) long.
Flowers and Fruit
The plant's flowers grow in a cluster called a thyrse. This part makes up almost half of the plant. Each thyrse has several smaller groups of flowers.
The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are tiny. They are about 2 to 3 millimeters long when the flower is open. When the plant is making fruit, they grow a bit longer, to about 4 to 5 millimeters.
The flowers themselves are white and quite pretty. They are about 15 to 17 millimeters (a little over half an inch) long. Inside, you might see faint purplish lines. The main part of the flower, called the tube, is about 11 to 12 millimeters long.
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a smooth capsule, which is its fruit. This capsule is about 6 to 7 millimeters long and is often hidden when it's fully grown.
When Does it Bloom?
You can usually see the Arkansas beardtongue flowering from late May into early June.
