Via Kermit: Wildflower of the week “Gay Penstemon”

In recognition of the California Supreme Court’s overturning of that state’s Proposition 8--which had banned same-sex marriage, the wildflower of the week (this week) is Gay Penstemon. Gay Penstemon, or Penstemon laetus, occurs in southern Oregon from Josephine to Klamath Counties and also extends south into California (of course). The word Penstemon means five threads, or five stamens—however, one in every five stamens of every flower never fertilizes anything.

The species epithet “laetus” is from Latin meaning gay, pleasing, abundant, or joyful. Or in the words of Ramona Ripston, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, (as reported on August 4, in the Christian Science Monitor) "We rejoice at today's decision ..." http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2010/0804/Proposition-8-federal-judge-overturns-California-gay-marriage-ban

Unlike people, flowers that are both male and female are termed “perfect”. Botanists describe flowers that are only male, or only female, as “imperfect”. Like all other non-gay Penstemons, botanists have always described Gay Penstemon too, as having “perfect” flowers.