Perennial to 1 m tall. Leaves ovate to lanceolate or spoon-shaped. Flower clusters long and open; summer. Calyx to 1 cm long. Corolla 3-4 cm long, red or pinkish, 2- lipped, the lower lobe yellow-bearded in the throat; summer. Sterile stamen hairless. Recognition Leaves entire; flowers generally scarlet, the lower lip bearded;

SW North America

 

P. centranthifolius Benth., Scarlet Bugler, has entire, ovate-lanceolate leaves and scarlet flowers but the lower lip is not bearded.

P. heterophyllus Lindl. from California, also with entire leaves, has pinkish to violet or mauve flowers and a hairless sterile stamen.

P. pinifolius Greene from SW USA has scarlet flowers and thread-like leaves.

P. strictus Benth., Stiff Beard Tongue, has spoon-shaped, long-stalked, entire basal leaves and dark blue to violet flowers.

P. whippleanus A. Gray from SW USA has entire or minutely toothed leaves and deep purple flowers. [P. arizonicus Heller].

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Scrophulariaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.