Flowers!

Kingdom: Plantae
Angiosperms

Eudicots

Asterids

Order: Lamiales

Family: Plantaginaceae

Genus: Penstemon

Species: P. strictus

Geographic Range: United States

Habitat: It is found in the woods with scrub oak, or in open areas with pine trees. It is also sometimes associated with sagebrush.

Physical Description: This species is a perennial with a few stems rising nearly straight up from a thick crown. The leaves are long and narrow and smooth, sometimes even downy. The flowers tend to be shades of purple and pink.

Reproduction: This plant reproduces though seeds which is a type of synthetic cloning.

Cool facts: The word "penstemon" if derived from the Greek "pente" ("five") and "stemon" ("thread"). Penstemons are so named because one of their five stamens, i.e. thread-like structures, is sterile and visually distinctly different from the others.