I shared a photograph of a blue wildflower and asked what it was. The first suggestion was Penstemon, or beardtongue. When I added that the photograph came from Eastern Oregon, the assistant proposed Penstemon cyaneus.
I was not ready to settle on the first answer, so I asked what else it could be. The response added five names to investigate:
- Penstemon speciosus — showy penstemon.
- Penstemon deustus — hotrock penstemon.
- Penstemon whippleanus — Whipple’s penstemon.
- Penstemon richardsonii — Richardson’s penstemon.
- Penstemon fruticosus — shrubby penstemon.
Those names are the assistant’s candidate list, not a verified account of the plant or the local species range. The useful next distinctions raised in the exchange were leaf shape, overall growth habit, and flower structure. A blue flower and a broad location had started the discussion, but had not resolved it.
The conversation stopped without closer photographs or a confirmed identification. I am keeping this as a record of the question and possible comparisons, rather than labeling the original flower with a species that was never established.