Taxon Report

Penstemon barnebyi N. Holmgren

Barneby's beardtongue

Print Report

Christopher L. Christie 2019

Taxon Summary

Penstemon barnebyi, commonly known as Barneby's beardtongue, is a perennial herb in the Plantaginaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Great Basin scrub, and Pinyon and juniper woodland, growing at elevations from 1500 to 2500 meters. Penstemon barnebyi is ranked 2B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Penstemon barnebyi N. Holmgren
Common Name:	Barneby's beardtongue
Family:	Plantaginaceae
Element Code:	PDSCR1L0Q0
USDA Plants Symbol:	PEBA6
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	perennial herb
Blooming Period: May	May
Elevation:	1500-2500 (4920-8205)
General Habitats:	Great Basin scrub, Pinyon and juniper woodland
Microhabitat:	Carbonate, Gravelly
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	2B.1
Global Rank:	G3G4
State Rank:	S1
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:
CRPR Changes:	changed from 2.1 to 2B.1 on 2013-06-12

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	1
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	0
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	1

Location


California Endemic: False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Mono (MNO)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Juniper Mtn. (3711862)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	0
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	0	%

Notes



Known in CA from only one occurrence along Busher Creek in the White Mtns. Possibly threatened by grazing. See Brittonia 31:226 (1979) for original description, and Madroño 35(2):164-165 (1988) for the CA record.
Threats:

Taxonomy:

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 10 November 2025].