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Penstemon rubicundus

Keck

Wassuk Beardtongue

G2Imperiled (G2G3) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.133227
Element CodePDSCR1L5E0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderPlantaginales
FamilyPlantaginaceae
GenusPenstemon
Other Common Names
Wassuk Range beardtongue (EN) Wassuk Range Beardtongue (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-06-27
Change Date1985-09-17
Edition Date2023-06-27
Edition AuthorsTreher, A. (2017), rev. C. Nordman (2023).
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent100-5000 square km (about 40-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 80
Rank Reasons
Wassuk Beardtongue (Penstemon rubicundus) occurs in the southwestern United States. It is endemic to western Nevada and has been documented from the Wassuk Range, and historically from the Pine Nut Mountains and northeastern White Mountains. As of 2023, there were seven historical occurrences, and 15 known extant occurrences all in the Wassuk Range. In 2000, a population size total of at least 700 plants was documented across 10 locations in the Wassuk Range. Most occurrences are on lands of the Bureau of Land Management, without special protective designation. Threats are not well known, but include development, recreation impacts from off road vehicles, and invasive exotic plants, such as Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass).
Range Extent Comments
Wassuk Beardtongue (Penstemon rubicundus) occurs in the southwestern United States. It is endemic to western Nevada and has been documented from the Wassuk Range in Mineral County, and historically from the Pine Nut Mountains in Douglas County and northeastern White Mountains in Esmeralda County. The range extent as of 2023, based on extant locations in the Wassuk Range is 243 square kilometers, but is 3490 square kilometers if historical locations in the Pine Nut Mountains and White Mountains are included (iNaturalist 2023, Kartesz 1988, Mozingo and Williams 1980, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023).
Occurrences Comments
There are 15 known extant occurrences of Wassuk Beardtongue, plus but seven which are historical. The total number of occurrences is uncertain, it is possible that other occurrences exist but have not been found or documented (NatureServe 2023).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Wassuk Beardtongue (Penstemon rubicundus) are not well known, but include development (i.e. in Douglas County), recreation impacts from off road vehicles (most locations are on BLM lands without special protective designation), and invasive exotic plants, such as Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass), Tamarix, Lactuca seriola, and Polypogon monspeliensis (SEINet 2023, USGS-GAP 2022).
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Wassuk Beardtongue (Penstemon rubicundus) is similar to P. palmeri and P. floridus which also occur in Nevada. P. rubicundus is distinguished from P. palmeri by its gradually inflated, deep rose-pink corolla, long corolla tube, anthers that are about half as long as the corolla tube, and lack of connate-perfoliate leaves (which P. palmeri has). P. rubicundus is distinguished from P. floridus by the corolla shape and size, and by its glandular-villous limb and its exserted staminode with prominent beard (Kartesz 1988).

Habitat

Occurs in "desert scrub, sagebrush, pinyon-juniper ecosystems on rocky to gravelly soils on perched tufa shores, steep decomposed granite slopes, rocky slopes, rocky drainage bottoms, disturbed but recovering areas with enhanced runoff, including slopes that were recently burned, where it can be abundant" (Nevada Natural Heritage Program). Occurs at 1400-2316 m (4600 - 7600 feet) elevation (SEINet 2023).

Reproduction

Seeds are thought to be dispersed by gravity or by the seed pods being kicked by animals or blown on the ground surface (Clements et al. 2002).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandWoodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.2 - Commercial & industrial areasSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Butler Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest25,878
References (10)
  1. Clements, R. K., J. Baskin, and C. Baskin. 2002. The Comparative Biology of the Two Closely-Related Species <i>Penstemon tenuiflorus</i> Pennell and <i>P. hirsutus</i> (L.) Willd. (Scrophulariaceae, Section Graciles): III. Ecological Life Cycle, Growth Characteristics, and Flowering Requirements. Castanea 67:161–176.
  2. iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
  3. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Mozingo, H.N., and M. Williams. 1980. The threatened and endangered plants of Nevada. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management, Portland, OR. 268 pp.
  6. NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Nevada Natural Heritage Program. No date. Rare Plant Species Information. Nevada Natural Heritage Program, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Carson City, Nevada. Online. Available: http://heritage.nv.gov/atlas (Accessed 2017).
  8. Nold, R. 2008. High and Dry: Gardening with Cold-hardy Dryland Plants. Timber Press, Portland. 420 pp.
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2023. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).
  10. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP). 2022. Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 3.0: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9Q9LQ4B.