Yawning Penstemon (Keckiella breviflora)
Aliases: Gaping Penstemon, Bush Beardtongue, Gaping Keckiella
Family: Snapdragon (Scrophulariaceae)
Habitat: Dry areas from the foothills up to around 5,000 feet elevation. I've seen it along Highway 140 in the Merced River Canyon and near Highway 41 in the Wawona Meadow area.
Flowering Season: May - July
Size: The flowers are an inch or less long. They grow on shrubs that can reach several feet across and up to five feet high.
Lifespan: Perennial (shrub)
Origins: Native (see distribution maps for California and US/Canada)
Keckiella breviflora etymology: The Keckiella genus is named for American botanist David D. Keck (1903 - 1995). Breviflora is a Latin amalgamation meaning "short-flowered".
This Photo: Along Highway 41 just above Wawona Meadow, early June
Other Resources: CalFlora · CalPhotos · USDA
