penstemon

American  

[pen-stee-muhn, pen-stuh-muhn] / pɛnˈsti mən, ˈpɛn stə mən /

noun

1. any of numerous chiefly North American plants belonging to the genus Penstemon, of the figwort family, some species of which are cultivated for their showy, variously colored flowers.

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penstemon British  

/ pɛnˈstiːmən /

noun

1. a variant (esp US) of pentstemon

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Etymology

Origin of penstemon

1750–60; variant of pentstemon (> New Latin Penstemon genus name)

Example Sentences

The purple Showy Penstemon is starting to fade, for instance, but the clarkia flowers are ready to open.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2024

So this book, which has been dictated to me by Tony Juniper-Berry, Peter Penstemon and Diana Daffodil, is Nature's plea to us to save the world before it is too late.

From The Guardian • Oct. 18, 2010

The three most abundant plants on the ground are Artemisia ludoviciana, Chrysothamnus depressus and Penstemon linarioides.

From Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado by Douglas, Charles L.

Miss Penstemon bowed also, plunging her hand afterwards into her black bag for her smelling-bottle, for she thought the room was rather close.

From The New Mistress A Tale by Fenn, George Manville

Stems and leaves of two of the plants, Comandra umbellata and Penstemon linarioides, were readily eaten by captive animals.

From Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado by Douglas, Charles L.