About Nothochelone nemorosa (Douglas ex Lindl.) Straw
Nothochelone is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the plantain family, containing only one species: Nothochelone nemorosa, commonly called woodland beardtongue. This species was first described under the name Penstemon nemorosus, and it looks very similar to true penstemons. It was moved to its own separate genus due to small morphological differences, including its characteristic winged seeds. Nothochelone nemorosa is native to western North America, growing in mountain forests from British Columbia to northern California. This is a perennial herb that grows an erect, hairy stem up to one meter tall from a caudex. Its leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem; they range from lance-shaped to oval, have pointed tips and toothed edges, and can reach up to 14 centimeters in length. Its inflorescence is a panicle of flowers that resemble penstemon flowers: the flowers are widely tubular with two-lobed lips and a hairy staminode. Individual flowers can grow longer than 3 centimeters, and they range in color from light to dark pink. The fruit is a capsule that holds the small, winged seeds.
