Keckiella is a genus of plants in the plantain family. It includes several species of plants known commonly as keckiellas. A few species may be called beardtongues or penstemons because all keckiellas once belonged to genus Penstemon as the section Hesperothamnus. Keckiellas are native to the American southwest, especially California. They bloom in attractive snapdragon-like flowers. Genus Keckiella was named after the American botanist David D. Keck.
Taxonomy What is now called Keckiella was first described as a genus named Lepidostemon in 1862 by Charles Antoine Lemaire. However, this was an illegitimate name due to its prior use by Carl Ludwig Blume in 1826. It was described with the name Keckia in 1966 by Richard Myron Straw, but as this was also nomen illegitimum he revised the name to Keckiella in 1967. It is classified in the Plantaginaceae family. Prior to their reclassification all seven species in the genus were in the Penstemon genus.
Table of Species Scientific name Original year Common name Range Keckiella antirrhinoides 1846 snapdragon penstemon, yellow bush snapdragon Southern California, Baja California, & Sonora Keckiella breviflora 1837 bush beardtongue, gaping beardtongue California & Nevada Keckiella cordifolia 1835 heartleaf keckiella, climbing penstemon Southern California, the Channel Islands, & Baja California Keckiella corymbosa 1846 redwood keckiella Central & northern California Keckiella lemmonii 1876 Lemmon's keckiella Northern California & western Nevada Keckiella rothrockii 1878 Rothrock's keckiella, Rothrock's penstemon Central, northern California, & western Nevada Keckiella ternata 1859 scarlet keckiella Central, northern California, & Baja California
References Citations
Web sources
External links
USDA Plants Profile